Best Practices for Multimedia Journalists: Navigating the World of Storytelling
In the ever-evolving landscape of journalism, multimedia journalists (MMJs) play a crucial role in telling compelling stories through various mediums. They are tasked with both reporting and capturing visual elements to complement their narratives. MMJs often find themselves juggling multiple roles, including being in front of and behind a camera, conducting all research, and writing and editing their own pieces as well as going out on assignments alone.
As the industry demands more versatile and tech-savvy journalists, MMJs face unique challenges that require them to adapt and excel in different aspects of their work.
To navigate this multifaceted role successfully, here are some best practices for multimedia journalists.
EMBRACE CONTINUOUS LEARNING
As MMJs, there is a constant need to stay updated with the latest technological advancements and storytelling techniques. The journalism industry is continually evolving, and multimedia journalists must be open to learning new skills and tools to enhance their reporting. Attend workshops, training sessions, and webinars to gain insights into the latest multimedia trends and refine your storytelling abilities. Be prepared to constantly mess with new technologies in order to explore the potential for more data for your stories and more varied results and disparate ends to tie together in your reporting.
MASTER THE ART OF PITCHING STORIES
A vital skill for multimedia journalists is the ability to pitch compelling story ideas. Craft pitches that highlight the multimedia elements you plan to incorporate, such as videos, photos, or interactive graphics, to showcase the story's potential impact.
You also need a plan for how to deliver these stories–and a plan for safety in case things get hairy.
“I could not stress that enough because it’s something I had to learn the hard way,” said Willie Daniely, a journalist who began his career in multimedia journalism. “You might be going into random people’s houses, it can be potentially dangerous. It’s very important to go with your gut.”
When covering sensitive or potentially dangerous stories, take necessary precautions, and trust your instincts. Be mindful of your surroundings, and if you feel uneasy about a situation, prioritize your safety over the story.
DEVELOP STRONG SOURCES AND RELATIONSHIPS
Building a robust network of sources is essential for any journalist, but it holds particular significance for MMJs. As you might often work independently on assignments, having reliable sources can provide valuable information and lead to engaging stories. Cultivate relationships with individuals from various backgrounds and industries to ensure a diverse range of perspectives in your reporting. Find stories in the communities you connect with to make sure your reporting is not only strong for your own sake, but is giving back to a community that needs the story you are creating to be told.
BALANCE SPEED AND ACCURACY
While speed is essential in breaking news situations, accuracy must never be compromised. As an MMJ, strive to deliver stories promptly without sacrificing the integrity of your reporting. Verify information, fact-check, and cross-reference sources to ensure your content is accurate and reliable. Do not, for any reason, jump to logical conclusions based on hearsay. Do not represent opinions as fact. Even with credible information from eyewitnesses or experts, your major point of contact should still always be data. People lie—numbers can’t.
UTILIZE MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING TOOLS AND BE OPEN TO FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR PROCESS
Multimedia journalists have a wealth of digital tools at their disposal. Embrace multimedia storytelling techniques by incorporating photos, videos, infographics, and interactive elements into your reporting. Leverage social media platforms to engage with your audience and promote your stories. More arise on a daily basis, and can be a challenge to learn, which is why feedback and collaboration is also important. Engage in constructive discussions with colleagues and editors to refine your work, specifically to refine your process. Collaborate with other journalists and experts to bring diverse perspectives to your storytelling—if you are a white male journalist taking on an MMJ role, your work needs this extra perspective in order to reach out to any other community. Not only that: Because white males dominate newsrooms, you can easily play into a broken system.
Multimedia journalism offers exciting opportunities for journalists to tell powerful stories through various media formats. As MMJs navigate the ever-changing landscape of journalism, they should be embracing these best practices that will empower their communities to tell stories that can be enhanced and communicated to the rest of the world. With these tools, the stories have more potential to resonate with audiences and bring important issues to the forefront of public discourse.
