Behind the Scenes: NYTimes' multimedia reporter
New York Times science reporter Andrew C. Revkin has been doing excellent multimedia reporting for nearly a year now (See related entry from last year). Revkin recently filed a fresh multimedia report from the far north, this time from the Arctic coast of Alaska's NorthSlope. This time, along wth a Canon G-1, he brought along a small digicorder for the first time. Even with the incredibly difficult conditions to do anything electronic -- 40-below wind chill, 24-hour darkness -- Revkin was able to shoot photos and grab audio for another excellent narrated slideshow. Revkin answered some questions about his multimedia reporting in an e-mail interview with CyberJournalist.net's Jonathan Dube.
Revkin says he has "always been a fan of the total package, understanding that words are great tools, but are very limited in building a full sense of the experience of being in an usual place or seeing unusual events. Now the definition of 'total package' has changed, thanks to the other media (sounds, animation, moving image clips) that can be incorporated into what for me was always just words and, maybe, a few pictures or graphs."
Here is a photo of Revkin that helps convey the challenges of this kind of work -- showing him sitting up in tent transmitting photos and story by satellite phone (dangling from above) in a tent near the North Pole on the floating sea ice:
(Credit: Peter West, National Science Foundation)
Q: What led you to start creating audio slide shows?
REVKIN: The Times' Web unit has been eager to translate reporters' work into richer presentations for several years. I came to the paper in 1995 after more than a decade in the magazine world (Science Digest, Discover), where meshing pictures and words is a keystone.
I also have long done photography as a sideline, and the subjects I deal with, mainly revolving around global environmental change, are pretty vivid visually. All of that adds up to a lot of potential for Web work.
Early last year, I started planning together with Rebecca DuMoulin from Times on the Web in advance of my North Pole trip.
Q: How did you gather the multimedia material? What tools did you use?
REVKIN: When I went to the North Pole last April with a team of climate and ocean scientists, I not only was thinking of the Web but also of the Times nascent television efforts (there's a separate unit developing documentaries for the Discovery-Times cable channel, Nova, etc). So I brought my Canon G-1 camera, pads and pencils (ink freezes!), my IBM Thinkpad (don't boot up if it's cold if you like an intact LCD screen), 2 Canon Mini DV digital video camcorders and a shotgun microphone.
And a power strip, of course. Up there it got complicated because the base camp was run by Russians, so it was 220 power off a couple of diesel generators, but some of the engineers along for the ride were able to cobble things together to keep things humming.
And an Iridium satellite telephone. It took up to 45 minutes to transmit individual photos from the Pole.
At the North Slope, we retreated to an oil-industry hostelry each night. The innovation there was a recording Walkman with a stereo microphone, which Rebecca DuMoulin, the Times' web editor for Science, suggested.
It was incredibly aggravating trying to deal with the 'record', 'stop' and other functions on the slippery Walkman in 40-below temperatures, but I was able to get a few sounds, including the dry "zhling, zhling, zhling" sound of a sliding hammerlike device used to measure the hardness of the thawing tundra.
Q: Did juggling these extra responsibilities detract at all from your time or focus on the written story (a concern many print journalists express when resisting doing such work)?
REVKIN: I was always concerned first with getting the story, meaning the print story. But both at the North Pole and on the tundra of Alaska there was lots of time when there was no way to take notes in any case. Frankly, I find the photos also help my reporting by capturing visual details that -- while on the run -- I can't possibly remember or note.
And I'm a big fan of the idea that whatever story I am telling is being told in all the media -- graphics, images, words, and -- this time -- sound. So the overall benefit of collecting the extra imagery etc far outweighs any inconvenience or slight hampering of the reporting.
This also came through in a special Web package we did last summer on the overfished oceans. This link has the Pole, Tundra, and Fisheries features all in one place: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/science/earth/
Q: In what way do you feel telling stories through audio slide shows advances the stories in a way the written version can't?
REVKIN: Often science is perceived by the public only through the results. Some finding is published and that's it. The public rarely gets an intimate view of the process of science, which can be dangerous, dull, exhausting, painful, exhilarating. The slide shows particularly provide a feel for the process of science. And they also allow a reporter, at least a little bit, to convey a sense of how journalism is done as well, which is also something that readers rarely get to understand.
Q: How closely did you work with the Web producers on these projects? Your latest piece nicely blends ambient sounds, such as the pounding of tools and the roar of engines, with your commentary. After you gathered your material, how involved were you in creating the final product?
REVKIN: I stay in close contact with the producers by email mainly (there in a different building) and bounced a lot of suggestions their way. They are always receptive, although there are staff and budget limits that constrain what ultimately gets on the site.
Q: What have you learned from this experience? What advice do you have for other print reporters who have never done multimedia reporting?
REVKIN: I encourage any reporter to think of his or her job in the broadest possible way. The key question to ask yourself is, given the tools available now, how can I best enrich the experience of readers and ensure they are absorbing the essential ideas in what I'm reporting?
Anyone who sees the answer to that question only in black and white (print content) has not yet crossed over into the new century.
Also, I get the strong feeling that all of our Times Web efforts so far are the meagerest babysteps into this new multi-dimensional world.
Another pioneer in this is clearly Nick Kristof, our world-wandering Op Ed columnist (his latest columns from Cambodia are indicative of the potential of the medium, but his Arcitc National Wlidlife Refuge series last summer really breaks new ground, I think, in the opinion universe).
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Discussion
4 comments about 'Behind the Scenes: NYTimes' multimedia reporter'The Andrew C, Revkin story was great. I am a journalist student and a firm believer in multi media reporting. My son has worked with Jay alison at Transom.org.I like this web site. I have showed this to my fellow students but they don't want to spend the time. Thanks.
Posted by craig walker at February 7, 2004 4:38 AM
CUIDADO COM ELE , DIRETOR PETISTA DE ESTATAL BRASILEIRA DEVORA ORÇAMENTOS, ETA ETA..SOME COM DIN DIN UAUUU, DATAPREV
brasil
Assumpção: “Devorador de orçamentos”
Saiu a execução orçamentária de investimentos das empresas estatais no bimestre março/abril de 2010.
“Das 75 empresas que tiveram programação de dispêndios aprovada no âmbito do Orçamento de Investimento de 2010, treze apresentaram, até o segundo bimestre, desempenho, em termos percentuais de realização das respectivas dotações anuais, superior à média geral de 26,4%”, informa o Ministério do Planejamento.
Dentre elas, destaca-se a Dataprev, que já torrou 86,7%; dos R$ 80 milhões orçados para este ano. Para se ter uma idéia do tamanho da façanha do presidente da Dataprev, Rodrigo Assumpção, basta comparar esses dados com a execução de outras empresas de TI:
Cobra Tecnologia S.A.
Orçamento R$ 7,2 milhões.
Gastou em 4 meses: R$ 3,055 milhões
Executou: 42,4%
Serpro
Orçamento R$ 130 milhões
Gastou em 4 meses: R$ 10,9 milhões
Executou: 8,4%
Telebrás
Orçamento R$ 406,4 mil (isso mesmo: mil)
Gastou em 4 meses: Zero
Executou: zero %
Entretanto, a Dataprev gastou, somente no bimestre março/abril, um total de R$ 66,8 milhões. Somados com os dois primeiros meses do ano, a conta da estatal sobe para R$ 69,3 milhões.
Sinistro não? Nos dois primeiros meses do ano a Dataprev “investiu” apenas R$ 2,5 milhões, cabendo o restante (R$ 66,8 milhões) em março e abril.
Pergunto: Rodrigo Assumpção torrou R$ 66,8 milhões no último bimestre na compra dos três mainframes da Unisys?
Não?
Então por que, na mesma execução orçamentária, o Ministério do Planejamento dá um ‘puxão de orelhas’ na Dataprev, informando que ela é uma das empresas estatais que estourou a dotação anual aprovada para a ação: “Manutenção e Adequação da Infra-Estrutura de Tecnologia da Informação para a Previdência Social - Nacional” ?
Coincidência ou não, em abril deste ano a Dataprev adquiriu - por R$ 72,5 milhões - três mainframes Libra da Unisys. Os mesmos que, por acordo com o Ministério Público, que anda meio desaparecido, se comprometeu a devolver as máquinas e se livrar da “dependência” da multinacional.
* Se for confirmada a minha suspeita, então faltam só R$ 5,7 milhões para a Dataprev completar esse suposto “investimento” que fez em mainframes Unisys. Dinheiro em caixa não é problema para Rodrigão.
Dataprev compra mainframes Unisys que já deveria ter substituído
A Dataprev anunciou na sexta-feira, 09/04, no Diário Oficial da União, a aquisição de três mainframes Unisys modelos Libra 780 (duas unidades) e Libra 450 (uma unidade), ao custo de R$ 72.579.537,56. No contrato, com inexigibilidade de licitação, a multinacional ainda fornecerá "licença de uso perpétuo de software", serviços de manutenção e suporte, tanto para os equipamentos quanto aos programas de computador.
O presidente da Dataprev, Rodrigo Assumpção, justificou a compra dos supercomputadores no extrato de contrato publicado no DO: "Garantir e manter a qualidade dos serviços no ambiente do mainframe Unisys, com a sustentação dos serviços em execução neste ambiente, onde se hospedam importantes sistemas da Previdência Social, até que ocorram condições de substituição pelos novos sistemas previstos para implantação em nova plataforma tecnológica".
Entretanto, a declaração oficial exposta no contrato assinado com a Unisys, do presidente da Dataprev contraria o disposto no Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta (TAC), assinado pela estatal no dia 28 de maio de 2008 com o Ministério Público Federal do Distrito Federal.
O TAC foi assinado na época pela empresa, com o aval do Instituto Nacional de Seguridade Social (INSS) e os procuradores José Alfredo de Paula e Raquel Branquinho. Nele, não há menção de que a Dataprev teria de comprar tais equipamentos. Ao contrário, a empresa deveria acabar de vez com a "dependência tecnológica" da Unisys.
O documento definia as responsabilidades de cada parte. Também estabelecia os prazos para que a migração ocorresse até janeiro de 2010, antes do término do atual contrato de prestação de serviços com a empresa Unisys, que agora se tornou em ‘aquisição de equipamentos, software e manutenção técnica'.
Quando assinou o TAC, a procuradora da República, Raquel Branquinho, qualificou como um 'grande avanço para o trabalho realizado desde 2003 pelo Ministério Público Federal, Tribunal de Contas de União (TCU) e Controladoria Geral da União (CGU) no acompanhamento das providências necessárias à mudança dos sistemas tecnológicos da Previdência'.
"Sempre buscamos obter o compromisso dos dirigentes desses órgãos para a implementação de medidas necessárias à libertação dessa relação de dependência e apenas na atual gestão da Previdência Social, consolidando um trabalho já iniciado na gestão anterior, houve a firme decisão de adotar as providências necessárias para essa finalidade que atende ao interesse público", afirmou Branquinho na época.
"Além de evitar a relação de dependência de uma estrutura proprietária e exclusiva, a mudança pode melhorar a qualidade dos serviços", completou a procuradora.
Compromisso
No TAC, a Dataprev assumiu o compromisso de adquirir novos servidores e implantar sistemas para a Previdência em Software Livre. Foi feita a opção pela plataforma baixa. Foram comprados servidores da HP para as unidades do Rio de Janeiro e Brasília, por um custo de cerca de R$ 30 milhões. A estratégia ainda envolvia a contratação de uma fábrica de software que se encarregaria de desenvolver sistemas que rodariam os antigos legados na plataforma Unisys.
Desde 2008, a estatal é obrigada a fornecer relatórios sobre o andamento da migração para o MPF, Tribunal de Contas da União, além da Controladoria Geral da União. Reuniões periódicas sempre ocorreram. Mas nunca houve uma posição oficial de nenhum dos órgãos de controle sobre se estavam satisfeitos com o andamento dos trabalhos.
O TAC de 2008 da Dataprev serviu apenas para encobrir irregularidades que vinham ocorrendo sistematicamente dentro da empresa. Foi uma maneira que o Ministério Público Federal encontrou no sentido de dar um último prazo para que falhas administrativas até hoje não saneadas. Até agora, a única solução concreta que a direção da Dataprev apresentou para o problema da migração foi a inédita compra dos mainframes Unisys que, por acordo com os organismos de controle, deveria ter substituído em janeiro deste ano.
O PAPAI NOEL chegou antecipado na dataprev, trazendo a proposta para acabar com as horas extras e aumentar o SOBREAVISO, a favor de alguns e apostando na morte de outros.
Pois bem..., O PETISTA presidente da DATAPREV que só esta no cargo por ter participado da campanha da Marta Suplicy, como pagamento pelos serviços prestados e alguns dos seus serviçais que juntos, mais parecem cabos eleitorais do Serra, querem por que querem, decidiram então, acabar com as horas extras de qualquer maneira. Mesmo alegando saber ser de inteiro interesse e necessidade da empresa.
A área de produção antigamente era considerada o coração da Dataprev, o tratamento das informações e a responsabilidade com a maior folha de pagamento da América Latina, os empregados tinham salários dignos, mas passou este tempo e, começaram a sucateá-la em sucessivos governos com intenções de seguir fielmente a cartilha do neoliberalismo. A prioridade social de alguns serviços parece terem ficado atrás dos interesses de empréstimos bancários.
Vindo a eleição de Lula, os trabalhadores respiraram aliviados, na firme certeza dos novos caminhos em que voltariam a trilhar com dignidade, respeito e reconhecimento dos serviços prestados para a sociedade dentro da empresa.
Já nos primeiros anos de governo, um misto de decepção e raiva vinha se apoderando do corpo funcional, as farras das caixinhas agora também incluíam gerencias de projetos e o absurdo desta tonelada de sobreavisos (chega a pagar ate 75 mil reais ano para empregado, quero também papai noel presidente Rodrigo da dataprev), porém continuavam as ameaças de demissões, basta lembrarem à famigerada Super Receita, chegaram a criar uma relação com mil para por na rua, digna dos períodos de Collor e FHC. Muitos se esquecem, porém foi travada na mesa da atual candidata Dilma, que lembrou a alguns de seus correligionários e aos remanescentes agraciados que continuavam em cargos mesmo sendo um novo governo, que o período agora era de governo Lula.
No recente PCS, outra frustração coletiva, o que pode facilmente ser comprovado com a chuva de recursos encaminhados, onde muitos ainda irão recorrer judicialmente já que não foram agraciados e, até hoje a direção da empresa não consegue explicar.
Alegando cobrança do TCU seguem na contramão da história, onde o mundo reivindica redução de jornada sem redução de salários, devem então, estar manipulando os números, ou será que só apresentam algumas rubricas?
Os órgãos fiscalizadores ainda não se atentaram para o número de gerencias criadas e os projetos de alguns meses que nunca se encerram, ou ao contínuo aumento de funcionários em sobreaviso contando a partir do horário de sua saída da empresa? Basta só comparar os valores pagos e ver que irá bem além de qualquer somatório de hora extra praticada com produção comprovada.
Vocês lembram que algum tempo atrás o valor pago para as comissões era bem menor que os salários recebidos pelos gerentes, e isso dava-lhes até alguma autonomia para questionar e não ficar refém a ponto de seguirem fielmente qualquer arbitrariedade cometida a qualquer custo manter a bendita gratificação, chegam a cercar trabalhador para forçar que aceitem o turno ininterrupto,(COERÇÃO) levantando suspeitas de que serão novamente agraciadinhos com mais esmolinhas, (chicotinhos) vendendo ate a alma para surrarem ainda mais os empregados e colocando seus supervisores para fazerem também essa COAÇÃO.
Esse tipo de administração do dinheiro público a população brasileira talvez desconheça, mas deveria ser obrigação do TCU conhecer. Já que apesar de tudo os funcionários continuam fazendo sua parte colocando esta empresa como um dos expoentes em TI.
VAMOS FAZER COM QUE O PAIZ INTEIRO CONHEÇA ESSA POUCA VERGONHA, PASSE A DIANTE, PARA O MAIOR NUMEROS DE EMAILS POSSIVEIS.
OBS: OS SENHORES SABEM QUE GERENTES DE DIVISÃO TEM NO CONTRA CHEQUE ALEM DAS CAIXINHAS, UMA MICHARIA DE 230 REAIS A TITULO DE PROJETO DE NÃO SEI O QUE, E GERENTES DE DEPARTAMENTO 300 REAIS A MESMO TITULO...?
QUERO SER GERENTE DAÍ TAMBEM....
Posted by william barral at August 4, 2010 1:37 AM
BEWARE IT, PT members DIRECTOR OF BRAZILIAN STATE BUDGETS Eater, ETA ETA .. SOME WITH DIN DIN UAUUU, DATAPREV
Brazil
Assumption: "Devourer of budgets"
He left the budget execution of investments by state enterprises in the two months in March / April 2010.
"Of the 75 companies that have programming of expenditures approved within the Investment Budget of 2010, thirteen had until the second quarter, performance in percentage terms of achievement of their annual appropriations, higher than the overall average of 26.4%," inform the Ministry of Planning.
Among them, stands out Dataprev, which has roasted 86.7% from R $ 80 million budgeted for this year. To get an idea of the size of the achievement of the president of Dataprev, Rodrigo Assumpção, just compare these data with the implementation of other IT companies:
Cobra Technology S.A.
Budget U.S. $ 7.2 million.
He spent four months at: U.S. $ 3.055 million
Performed: 42.4%
Serpro
Budget £ 130 million
He spent four months at: £ 10.9 million
Executed: 8.4%
Telebras
Budget £ 406 400 (that's right: billion)
He spent four months in: Zero
Performed: zero%
However, Dataprev spent only two months in March / April, a total of $ 66.8 million. Together with the first two months of the year, the account of the state rises to $ 69.3 million.
Creepy huh? In the first two months of the year Dataprev "invested" only $ 2.5 million, while the remainder (U.S. $ 66.8 million) in March and April.
My question is: Rodrigo Assumpção roasted R $ 66.8 million in the last two months on the purchase of three Unisys mainframes?
No?
So why, in the same budget execution, the Ministry of Planning gives an 'earful' in Dataprev, stating that she is one of the state that broke the annual appropriation approved for action: "Maintenance and Adequacy of Infrastructure Information Technology for Social Security - National "?
Coincidence or not, in April this year Dataprev acquired - for $ 72.5 million - three Unisys Libra mainframes. The same people who, by agreement with prosecutors, who walks half gone, promised to return the machines and get rid of "dependency" of the multinational.
* If confirmed my suspicion, then missing only $ 5.7 million to complete this Dataprev supposed "investment" you make on Unisys mainframes. Cash on hand is no problem for Rodrigão.
Dataprev purchase Unisys mainframes should have already replaced
Dataprev announced on Friday, 09/04 in the Official Gazette, the acquisition of three models Unisys Libra mainframes 780 (two units) and Pound 450 (one unit), the cost of R $ 72,579,537.56. In contract, enforceability of bidding, the multinational will still provide "a perpetual license to use the software, maintenance and support, both for equipment as computer programs.
The president of Dataprev, Rodrigo Assumpção, justified the purchase of supercomputers in the extract of the contract published in the DO: "To ensure and maintain the quality of services in the Unisys mainframe environment, with the support of services running in this environment, where host important systems Social Security, until conditions occur replacement by new systems planned for deployment in new technology platform. "
However, the official statement disclosed in the contract with Unisys, the president of Dataprev contravene the provisions of Statement of Conduct Adjustment (TAC), signed by the state on May 28, 2008 with the prosecution of the Federal District.
The TAC was signed at the time by the company, with the endorsement of the National Social Security Institute (INSS) and the attorneys for Paula and José Alfredo Raquel Branquinho. In it, there is no mention that Dataprev would have to buy such equipment. Instead, the company should finish off the "lock-in" at Unisys.
The document defined the responsibilities of each party. Also established deadlines for migration to occur by January 2010, before the expiration of the current contract for services with the company Unisys, which has now become in 'acquisition of equipment, software and maintenance. "
When he signed the TAC, the prosecutor of the Republic, Raquel Branquinho, described as a 'major advance for the work undertaken since 2003 by federal prosecutors, the Court of Accounts (TCU) and Comptroller General of the Union (CGU) in monitoring the actionsnecessary to change the Social Security system technology. "
"We always seek to obtain the commitment of the leaders of these agencies to implement measures necessary for the release of this relationship of dependency and only on the current administration of Social Security, consolidating work already begun in the previous administration, there was a firm decision to adopt the necessary measures to this purpose that serves the public interest, "Whitey said at the time.
"In addition to avoiding the interdependence of structure and exclusive owner, the change can improve the quality of services," added the attorney.
Commitment
In TAC, the Dataprev undertook to purchase new servers and deploy systems to Social Security in Free Software. Was the option for low platform. HP servers have been purchased for the units of Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, for a cost of about $ 30 million. The strategy also involved the hiring of a software factory that would work to develop systems that would run the old legacy Unisys platform.
Since 2008, the state is required to provide reports on the progress of migration to the MPF, Court of Audit, and the Comptroller General of the Union Regular meetings ever occurred. But there was never an official position of any of the organs of control over whether they were satisfied with the progress of work.
The TAC's 2008 Dataprev only served to cover up irregularities that were occurring systematically within the company. It was a way that federal prosecutors found to give a final deadline for administrative failures that have still not restored. Until now, the only practical solution that the direction of Dataprev presented to the problem of migration has been the unprecedented purchase of Unisys mainframes that by agreement with the bodies of control, should have replaced in January this year.
Santa Claus came early in DATAPREV, bringing the proposal to end overtime and increase the guard, in favor of some and betting on the death of others.
Well ..., president of the PT DATAPREV that this only in office for having participated in the campaign of Marta Suplicy, as payment for their services and some of his attendants that together, more like the Sierra canvassers, for want they want, then decided, to end the overtime anyway. Even she knew to be full of interest and business need.
The production area was once considered the heart of Dataprev, the processing of information and responsibility with the highest payroll in Latin America, employees have decent wages, but passed this time and began to scrap it in successive governments with intent to follow faithfully the primer of neoliberalism. The priority of some social services appear to have been behind the interests of bank loans.
Come the election of Lula, a sigh of relief workers, the firm certainty of new pathways that they would return to walk with dignity, respect and recognition of services rendered to society within the company.
Already in the first years of government, a mixture of disappointment and anger was taking over the workforce, the binge of boxes now also includes management of projects and the absurdity of this ton of guard (gets to pay up to 75 000 years for real employee, I also santa president Rodrigo da DATAPREV), but still the threat of layoffs, just remember the infamous Super recipe, they came to build a relationship with a thousand to the street, decent periods of Collor and Cardoso. Many forget, but was caught at the table of the current candidate Dilma, which reminded some of his supporters and the remnants blessed who remained in office even though a new government that the time was now the Lula government.
At the recent PCS, another collective frustration, which can easily be proven by the rain of resources directed where many still attending judicial proceedings since they were not awarded, and until today the company's management can not explain.
Claiming charging the following TCU against the grain of history, where the world claims to reduce journey without reduction of wages, should then be manipulating numbers, or do they only have a few items?
The regulatory agencies have not yet paid attention to the number of managing projects and created a few months that never close, or the continuous growth of staff warned in counting from the time they leave the company? Just comparing only the amounts paid and see what will go well beyond the sum of overtime practiced with proven production.
You remember some time ago that the amount paid for the commissions was much lower than the salaries received by managers, and this gave them some autonomy even to question and not be held hostage to the point of following faithfully committed any arbitrary at all costs keep the blessed gratification, reaching nearly to force workers to accept the shift uninterrupted (COERCION) raising suspicions that they will be back with more agraciadinhos alms, (whip) selling his soul to beat up even more by putting employees and their supervisors to make this constraint also .
This type of administration of public money Brazilians perhaps unknown, but should be required to meet TCU. Because after all the employees keep doing their part by putting this company as one of the exponents in IT.
LET'S DO WITH THAT THE ENTIRE Paiz KNOW THAT LITTLE SHAME, A FORWARD PASS, FOR THE LARGEST POSSIBLE NUMBERS OF EMAILS.
Note: As you know, division managers have NO CHECK AGAINST BEYOND THE BOX, ONE OF MICH 230 A REAL TITLE OF PROJECT NOT KNOW WHAT, AND DEPARTMENT MANAGERS REAL 300 ... the same way?
I WANT TO BE MANAGER Hence also ....
Posted by william barral at August 4, 2010 1:42 AM
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