New media such as online content, audio podcasts, photography slide shows and video is essential in today's fast-track society. Many people say newspaper is on its way out the door, but I say there will always be news - and the although print may eventaully be on its way out the door, new tools online will replace old-school ways of doing things.
Dynamic photography is one tool news media is using. Sites such as Benjamin Krain's showcase the importance of dynamic photos in telling a story.
New media is not only about photography though. With the advent of YouTube and micro-blogging sites such as Facebook and Twitter, it has never been easier for news media to alert readers of breaking news through video or adding links to a home page. For instance, the Barrow County News not only posts videos on its website, but editors can post a video on Facebook and link it to the website, or tweet a link to the video either on the home page or on the Facebook page. With the ability to link local stories and information to world-wide sites, newspapers and other media have the capability to grow readership like never before. A local paper may gain readers from all over the country - all over the world.
A benefit of the Youtube craze is that videos no longer require hours of editing and perfection. With 3G and 4G capability on phones, nearly everyone has a way to videotape an event and upload it to the web immediatly. News media can record an event and with minimal time or effort and upload it in moments.
Another tool used by media is audio. Now folks who can't attend an important called-meeting at City Hall, can hear important parts of the event that news media records and uploads to the web. Audio may not be as exciting as video, but it also aids in giving a news organization credibility, especially when the quotes in the story line up exactly with the audio. Pod Casts are also a great way to post an entire meeting, versus just the highlights. New media such as this is allowing newspapers to take on the role of broadcast and radio, not just print.
I think you made a good point that audio footage of an event can enhance a written story's credibility. It never occurred to me that it could be used that way, but I'm sure there are readers who appreciate the transparency. In one of my other journalism classes, we've been discussing how many readers/viewers are dissatisfied with and distrustful of the media. If more news sources use strategies like this and publish stories in multiple formats, it could do a lot to help add credibility to important and controversial stories.
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