The Poynter Institute: Best Practices in Multimedia Journalism

Sue Kwon

November 23, 2009

Sue Kwon is a reporter for CBS-5 in San Francisco. She received an AAJA/Poynter Institute Fellowship to attend a "Best Practices in Multimedia Journalism" seminar November 2-6, at The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, FL.

The Poynter Institute Best Practices in Multimedia Journalism Seminar begins, with standard introductions around the room.  The freelance reporter hopes to learn how to gain more reach through social networking tools and the web.  The newspaper editor says she plans to create a newsroom transition and training plan based on how colleagues in print, radio, and TV are tackling change.  A multimedia editor for a newspaper’s web entity says traditional journalists, don’t understand her job, workflow, and challenges. When it’s my turn, I blurt out “The Titanic is sinking and I need a life raft.” (The not-so profound statement comes from an 18-year TV news veteran currently learning how to shoot and edit while teetering around on high heels.)

Ellyn Angelotti, Interactive Learning and Adjunct faculty member, leads the "Best Practices in Multimedia Journalism" seminar. For one week, 12 journalism professionals from print, radio, TV and web discuss debate, learn, and teach.
(Photo courtesy of Sue Kwon)

Apparently, I said that out loud. And, surprisingly a dozen colleagues looked back at me like they fully understood the wide-eyed fear, anxiety, and hope expressed in that one soundbite.  From that moment, we connect and acknowledge we would help each other survive and thrive in the changing industry with help from the Poynter Institute faculty.

There was no time to complain and lament about cutbacks, layoffs, and drama.  Poynter visiting faculty member Keith Jenkins launched the session with this quote: “Don’t think about the newsroom. Think about news.”  We discuss cross-platform storytelling and the benefits of photo slideshows versus video. We work in small groups to explore best ways to manage change and train different departments within a multimedia newsroom.  Multimedia pioneers share free software tools and links to poignant examples of cross-platform storytelling.  I even become a “Twitter-believer” when I see how this and other social networking tools can help journalists produce and distribute stories.  We debate ethics and diversity in the digital age. And on a lighter note, we indulge in creating and evaluating the accuracy of our personal digital avatars. 

Keith Jenkins, Supervising Senior Producer of Multimedia at NPR and visiting Poynter faculty member talks with participant Susan Knight, Associate Professor at the University of Arizona, in a seminar led by Poynter Virtual Teaching faculty Regina McCombs.
(Photo courtesy of Sue Kwon)

It’s often referred to as the "Journalism Jacuzzi" for a reason. I returned from Poynter mentally exhausted, but at the same time – professionally refreshed.  On my first day back in the newsroom, I was asked to present a story about overzealous parking ticket issuers. It was a story shot, and edited by a multimedia producer for the 5 p.m. newscast.  Together, we found a way to create a satellite map “fly in” effect to highlight the community impacted.  We convinced the show producer and director to use the map against the chromakey wall instead of having me go “live” from a dark street.  A member of the web team worked with us to create a “comment” page to add to the web version of the story.  The final result was a story that resonated and connected with viewers on TV, online, and for days after it aired.

Now, I realize I don’t need a life raft after all. The industry or “ship” may be in distress, but we can steer out of rough waters, on a new course by focusing on news and producing strong stories while using multimedia tools in responsible and effective ways.