E-Media Tidbits: “The Forms of Online Journalism”
November 28, 2001
“It’s not new, but we’ve never mentioned it here, and it’s recently been updated. Jonathan Dube’s CyberJournalist website has a nifty feature and tutorial that explains the different forms of online storytelling. He includes lots of examples of how to use the capabilities of the Web to present stories. The Web is capable of so much more than “shovelware,” and Dube provides links to a bunch of good examples of online storytelling. If you haven’t spent time learning from this Web page yet, I urge you to do so.” - Steve Outing
Golfing News and Scores,The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle
November 28, 2001
Best Vertical Site, Circulation 75,000 to 250,000, Digital Edge Awards 2001. Judges said, “Even the most demanding golf fanatic will be amazed by the array of statistics, player biographies and hole-by-hole scoring for each PGA Tour tournament. CNN/Sports Illustrated is one of many media outlets that has purchased the core scoring content.”
Tribune Interactive implements publishing platform
November 26, 2001
Tribune Interactive rolls out a new “proprietary standards-based content management and publishing platform that speeds delivery of breaking news to users across Tribune’s national network of news and information Web sites.” The platform, known internally as Oxygen, delivers content to Tribune Interactive’s 11 daily newspaper Web sites (including chicagotribune.com, latimes.com and newsday.com), automates content sharing among all the sites, and creates standard advertising placements for national advertisers throughout the network.
Pay for Content? Take heed
November 23, 2001
News sites considering charging for content should pay heed: a study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project reinforces beliefs that few people are willing to pay for access to Web sites. About 17 percent of Internet users surveyed have been asked to pay to access Web sites they used to see for free, but of those, only 12 percent agreed to pay for access.
Emily Prager: “The Read,” Oxygen.com
November 23, 2001
Winner, Online Commentary, Online Journalism Awards 2000. Commentary on topics ranging from the presidential election to getting accepted to private school. The judges said: “Whether she is writing about the NRA opening a superstore in New York City or offering an interactive quiz on Elian Gonzalez, Prager’s columns bring a wry and witty twist on the news. Nothing is too trivial or too sacrosanct to have escaped her eye.”
Rescuing the Right, projo.com
November 18, 2001
Rescuing the Right, projo.com/The Providence Journal. Most Innovative Use of Digital Media, News Event Coverage, Circulation 75,000 to 250,000, Digital Edge Awards 2001. Judges wrote, “Projo.com?s environmental writer and a staff photographer followed attempts to rescue a right whale off the coast of Nova Scotia. Upon their return, they spent months working with the site?s chief designer to create a fascinating multimedia document of their experience that raises the bar for all newspaper-affiliated sites.”
Bee papers: A Madness Called Meth
November 18, 2001
A Madness Called Meth, The Fresno Bee, The Modesto Bee, The Sacramento Bee. Public Service Award, Circulation more than 250,000, Digital Edge Awards 2001. Judges wrote, “This exploration of the manufacturing and social impact of methamphetamine in California?s Central Valley combined hard-hitting photos and investigative reports with interactive maps and excellent online navigation.”
Radio’s Big Bully, Salon.com
November 18, 2001
Winner, Enterprise Journalism: Independent, Online Journalism Awards 2001. A series of reports on Clear Channel Communications, the most powerful force in the radio industry. The judges noted the amount of reporting that went into this package and what it revealed about how, years after the radio payola scandals, labels are still finding ways to buy their way onto the air. They described it as a classic piece of enterprise reporting, digging deep into a complex story, uncovering the layers of facts and the relationships that are so important in the radio industry and ultimately uncovering the sometimes questionable practices of a company that determines what many Americans hear.
Colombia: War Without End, CNN.com.
November 18, 2001
Winner, Enterprise Journalism: Affiliated, Online Journalism Awards 2001. A report in English and Spanish about the strife in Colombia. The judges remarked on the scale of this package, done in both English and Spanish and including a large volume of original writing and photography by CNN reporter Steve Nettleton, work beyond what was done for the TV version. It’s a mix of reporting, analysis, reference material, maps, chats and original source material from the various groups fighting in Colombia.
Journey Through Afghanistan, MSNBC.com
November 18, 2001
Pariah Nation: Journey Through Afghanistan — MSNBC.com’s Preston Mendanhall traveled to Afghanistan in May and produced this vivid series of reports on life there — four months before the Sept. 11 attacks and the ensuing reports. The package, which has been updated since then, includes strong video reports from Afghanistan, a good interactive primer on Osama bin Laden and a wonderful slideshow, “Behind an Iron Veil.”