Amber Downing
downing_am@yahoo.com
The “Five I’s” of digital storytelling are: interactivity, involvement, immediacy, integration and in-depth opportunities. Here’s an example: a fictional story about the death of a student returning to the University of North Texas from Thanksgiving Break. The student was killed in a car crash on I-35 and involved a tractor trailer. The traffic in this area has become not only a burden but also a danger.
Scenario A: The online journalist is facing a tight deadline with limited resources.
To cover the interactivity, a summary of the story along with links to on-topic past stories would be neccessary for covering this story quickly. A picture of the deceased could be added. A basic timeline can be made quickly at websites such as Time Line Maker.
An online discussion between community members could be set up quickly to cover community involvement. As the story progresses updates would need to be added keep the story immediate. During city council meetings or hearings, an online journalist could attend and post information as it was happening. After the original story is posted and the journalist gets more time and resources more flashy elements like a more detailed timeline could be added.
Scenario B: The online journalist has a more flexible time frame and a staff of artists, programmers and multimedia journalists.
One of the key issues in this story is the amount and kind of traffic going through this area. Web cameras and an up to the minute presentation of traffic problems would be great tools in evaluating the traffic problem.
Because there have been six fatalities so far this year, a timeline could be developed to show when accidents occurred. At each date, pictures of the location of the accident and pictures and stories about the victims could be added for interactivity. An online discussion of the conditions of the highway with links to the city street construction report, a link that shows the location of the highway and perhaps some stats on the highway, too. Any upcoming city council meeting dates could be posted or linked. Links to past articles about the road troubles should be included.
For involvement, a game or activity that would allow users to add lanes, change truck routes or come up with other solutions could be added. A forum could be started where concerned citizens could start an organization focusing on the conditions of the city’s roads.
An online journalist could attend meetings as discussion of changing the road increases. When meetings are held either by the city council or by other organizations, the journalist could attend and post on their blog or perhaps stream audio. This would be a form of immediacy.
For media integration, audio stories or video interviews of some of the families of people who’ve died on the highway recently could be added to the timeline. Stories, links and photos about cities that have had similar problems. Interviews with some of the key players in those cities could highlight solutions.
In order cover this story in-depth, additions could be added as the story progresses. Interviews with key players such as the mayor or city council members and links to their websites could be added.
February 28, 2008 at 6:14 pm
I really like your idea of the interactive game where readers can brainstorm possible truck solutions, very creative. The idea of including similar situations in other cities brings the story out of a local level and possibly into a state or national level. Great job.
~Alanna