"Convergence journalism" is a new type of journalism that combines various forms of media (writing, video, photos, and more) to create a larger journalistic project. The web is an ideal platform for convergence journalism, and papers like The Washington Post are moving toward multimedia presentations. More newspapers are discovering that it's not enough to simply put the exact same content from their paper on the web. Their product on the web has to offer something different than their paper product -- something of real value. For a good example of convergence journalism, click here to read an article from The Washington Post about the recession's impact on a Midwestern family.
After reading, share some of your immediate reaction -- either about the story itself or about its presentation. Do you think this story has more of an impact reading it online than it would in a traditional newspaper? Why? Do the photos, for example, make you feel more or less sympathetic toward this family?
This was an excellent article; I was very impressed with the way it was presented. I feel that the article being online had something to do with the sympathy I was feeling for this family. The photographs said so much. The despair and worry written all over the parents faces made me wonder what it was like to have to live that way. The fact that the pictures were in color only made the family’s troubles more evident. This article made me feel like I was a victim of the recession like Scott and his family. I definitely feel more sympathetic toward this family than I would if it were in a regular paper. The fact that it was online definitely impacted the way I viewed the family and their situation. In this instance an online journal was very effective. I liked the content, the presentation, and the design of this entire article. This article was a job well done.
ReplyDeleteI never realized what trouble people are actually going through in this recession. Sure, my dad says that we have to be more careful about money than e used to, but I haven't had to cut back on most things. Seeing this makes me understand what
ReplyDeletepeople have to go through who aren't as fortunate as I am.
This article made me feel like there was no hope left, when i know that there really is for this family. Just like the article said, the recession is slowly improving. I'm sure that either Scott of Kelly will find a job.
On a lighter note I noticed the bit about Jackson. I find this interesting, because my dad grew up there. He's never said anything like that about it.
The photographs in this story are very moving. I hope that one day I can capture such raw emotion as the photographer in this article did.
Mrs. Waldsmith -
ReplyDeleteThis was the best article you have posted yet! It was very well written and undoubetly made me feel sympathetic for Scott and his family. I cannot even begin to fathom what that lifestyle would be like. It makes me feel so very fortunate to live in such a nice home with support and love from my family, and to do things like go to a private school and take trips to the mall. This article definietly opened my eyes to be more aware to people living this type of lifestyle. I hope and pray with all my heart that this economy turns a corner and that President Obama can help people who are unemployed with families like this. And in addition to what you mentioned, I do believe that this article being available on the Web had a positive affect on it. The photos being avaiable specifically on the internet gave it a cool and modern effect, as well as it adding a more exclusive look inside the family's story. I hope you continue to post articles like this one. It was very effective to me, and I am surely going to share it with my family. I think we can all gain something from a story like this.
This was a great article. Pardon me for digressing, but I wanted to note that the New York Times and PBS multimedia stories have become staples for the digital anthology I use in my AP Gov. class. On the other hand, students often prefer the text resource in a "story" for its depth (and their ability to refrence it). I believe very strongly that all of Mrs. Walsmith's students should develop video, audio, digital photo, and graphic design skills in order to compete in the global economy in the 21st century, even if you don't go into journalism per se.
ReplyDeleteThis article was very well writen. The way it was presented felt like I was feeling the way the family was feeling. The pictures helped with that feeling. I think having this article online had more impact on the reader. With having it online, you can add an unlimited amount of pictures to go along with the article. With the newspaper, you have to pick and choose because of the limited space. Having those 20 some pictures showed in even more detail the despair and struggle this family is going through. Their expressions show so much; the hurt they are experiencing, the pain and struggle. It takes you into their life and makes you realize that loosing your job can happen to anyone.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a sad, but very interesting, story. It was extremely well written. It to me definitely had more of an impact being online, because it would take up a big chunk of the lifestyle section otherwise. The pictures and dialogue make the story look and feel so much more real. It's an excellent article and really makes you think about how well we've got it in this economy.
ReplyDeleteI believe this article is receiving so much praise from the rest of the class, and myself, because it represents something real and something we, perhaps, can relate to. Their sufferings bring us to the times in our life when we suffered and their emotions of sadness remind us when sadness overcame ourselves. The pictures in this article allowed me to see the family and actually view the situation they are in. Sometimes in a newspaper, only one picture is presented per article but on the internet, more than a dozen pictures can be show for this one article. I was able to connect with the family more by viewing the pictures and I could actually see the drastic transition they made from their old house to Kelly Nichols's mom's basement. It is easier for me to understand things sometimes by seeing them and this article with its vast photo gallery allowed me to do so. The only downfall I believe about having a newspaper on the internet is the distraction of the random and irrelevant advertisements. They distracted me from the actual article sometimes and they were just, well, annoying. I also like how you can view only small amounts of information at a time,on each page instead of having so many tiny words thrown at you on a newspaper. You can take your time and clearly see each word of the article on each page. Clarity is a part of presentation and good presentation is a major factor in newspapers, articles, and well most things including homework you turn into a teacher and food you receive in a restaurant. People like to look at pretty things and clear things. This article is both "pretty" and clear. The pictures made me feel more sympathetic for the family because I was able to actually see what they were going through but I cannot honestly say reading this online made more of an impact than reading it in a newspaper. Having to click on each page to finish the story gave more suspense, in my opinion, because I was saying "what's going to happen next" and so I quickly pressed on the next page. However, reading it on a screen did not change my emotions toward the article. I, actually would rather read something that is tangible but the pictures might persuade me to read online newspapers more often because it is nice seeing images rather than a "bunch" of words.
ReplyDeleteThis article was well-written and really conveyed the message. It was extremely sad, and it really showed what was going on for those who have been laid-off. It hits 'close to home' considering all of the people in Michigan who work in the auto industry that have been laid off. The pictures with the article really made the story even sadder, and I felt bad for Scott and his family. I cannot even imagine what would happen if one of my parents lost their jobs, and it makes me appreciate that my parents are still able to support us.
ReplyDeleteThis story was a very effective one. I first began by flipping through the pictures, to get a hint of what I would be seeing in the article. After I began reading, the pictures really helped me visualize what was going on. The well written descriptions of the people, combined with the pictures really showed the way these people must suffer. However, turning to page two, I found it extremely distracting and irritating to have to watch a commercial before proceeding to the next page. This is an example of where multimedia can go wrong. The advertisement, I believe, actually discourages people from continuing to read the story. Despite this, I continued on; but only to be interrupted yet again by an advertisement. This article was truly very well written, but in this case the technology certainly took away from it. If the reader read the story all the way through, I think the article really sent a message. Especially because sometimes people tend to forget how people really are struggling everyday.
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite article so far. Probably because, to me, it was a more interesting topic than the other two. The wording kept me interested also. I think the pictures take this article to a whole new level that couldn't be reached in a regular newspaper. I felt the story dragged on a little one the final page. I liked how the article was short page by page until the fifth page. Another thing that kinda drew my attention away from the story was the huge flashing advertisements on the sides. Overall I thought it was good.
ReplyDeleteWow! this article has really opened my eyes to how bad people are really living in this recession. i knew that people were losing their jobs and it was hard for them to make a living but, this article went even deeper into their lives and finding out if they even have enough money to buy bread. i think this article was very well- written and it really can hit people hard when they read it! It gives very descriptive layout of how the family is living and what they have to do to at least stay in a home.I think it will have a bigger impact on readers if they read it online because the article has the support of the pictures! The pictures had it even more upset with me because you could actually see what they were going through and you did not have to picture it in your mind! This article will effect people and will motivate others to help those in need!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this article, and out of the three we have read, this one is my favorite. Unlike the other two, this one was really personable, and made you feel empathy for the family. Although I knew that times were bad, I never really stopped to think about the individual families that have been affected greatly by the recession, but reading this article made me do just that. I think that having it on the web, as opposed to the paper, was a really good idea. First of all, there was room for more than one picture, and the article was as long as the writer needed it to be. This just shows that, although the paper version of the newspaper will always be amazing, the web version is pretty spectacular and a little bit more amazing, in some aspects, as well.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't as interested with pictures as I probably would have been if the article was in a newspaper, right alongside the text. Instead the gallery was a section of it's own, not something you could glance at for reference while reading.
ReplyDeleteThe story itself was very sad, and eye-opening, because my family hasn't been effected by the recession and when you read about this happening to a real family, and how it's taking its toll on them instead of just statistics - you know the unemployment rate, and so on - means more.
"Walk in someone else's shoes". through the years kindegarten till highschool whenever a problem has occured an agrrement can not be reached, counselors and teachers say that very phrase. today there was no fight, no argurement and no misunderstanding it was simply how a family just like ours is living. to truly feel how this family feels you must "walk in their shoes." the deeper the article got, the more i felt i was watching step by step. The steps from pawning a wedding to moving into the grandmothers house was a very surreal feeling. The extra pictures put up, allowed you to see into their world and feel the same hardship. To walk in someone else's shoes is to understand their way of life, i feel as if this article did just that.
ReplyDeletei think the article online makes me feel more sympathetic towards the family as opposed to a newspaper, because of the pictures. in a newspaper the page my be cut off and you couild have to flip through to find the continuation. This could make you lose track of thought. The pictures add a great deal towards how you people react towards the article because you are truly seeing inside their sturggle and hardships.
I thought that this article was really informative. I never knew that people suffered so much for this reccession. And this piece really appeals to people's emotions. And because it is online, they can inculde more pictures, which also provide a special insight to the family's plight. If it were in a newspaper, these photos probably wouldn't fit.
ReplyDeleteThe limitations of a actual paper are really what seems to be hurting the companies. I think more people will be inclined to read the newspaper if it is online because they can get a fuller story and can then be more informed.
Whoa. It's so... the pictures are almost superfluous, because the wording is so well done. But, counting the pictures, this is an article made more impactful online. A paper wouldn't have all these pictures. The ones with the little girl are especially poignant. So, those are my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI thought the article was incredibly sad. I agree: the text itself was probably enough to bring emotion and impact, but the pictuers added to it. I think that when it comes to articles like this, being online is best for the reader to fully appreciate how well-written the information and how descriptive the author. The only problem for me was the fact that you had to click away from the main article in order to look at the pictures; I think it would be better if you could see them in the same place as what you're reading.
ReplyDeleteI think that by having the story online it was very enhanced. Since the story is online, the reporters were able to add more details to the story that make you feel bad for the family. Also, the pictures made the story come to life, and made me sad since the children have to grow up in poverty. Stories like these make me realize what a privileged life I have. I think that the pictures should have been included in the regular text because if Ms. Waldsmith hadn't told us to look at the pictures, I probably wouldn't have.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, this article was very sad, but also informative at the same time. My parents have told me to cut back and be wiser when spending money. After reading this article, it really gives a new perspective on the toll the recession is taking on people and their families. The article itself was well-written and made an impact alone, but with the pictures, the reader could see the troubling times for the family and their emotions and reactions to it. Although the pictures really added to the article, I did not like having to open another window in order to see them. I did not want to open the window whilst in the middle of reading the article because that might cause me to lose my train of thought. By looking at the pictures at the end, it is possible that they did not have had as great an impact if they were directly next to the article.
ReplyDeleteI think the article had a greater impact online than it would have had in a newspaper. If it was in a newspaper, the article could have possibly been split in two. While the reader was searching for the second half of the article, something else might catch their eye, and they could maybe forget about the article altogether. Although the article online did require the reader to click next to continue reading, the reader did not have to search through pages and pages to find the rest of the article. Also, since there is not a limit to space as there is in a newspaper, the article was more descriptive.
For me, the photos did make me feel more sympathetic towards the family, especially the pictures including the little girl.
Overall, I really enjoyed this article.
I never knew how bad the recession was until this article. I mean, I knew that times were tough because I myself took a few hits because of my mom's job in the auto industry, but this story made me so sympathetic to everything going on. It made me realize that there were plenty of families all over the country suffering horribly from the recession. It was very well written, and I believe that it portrayed what the family's despair and desperation on pin point.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I don't think a simple article in the newspaper would have done this article justice because the many pictures definitely put it more into perspective than just like the couple pictures that are usually in an article. The length also was pretty long, and if it was in the newspaper, the article would have been cut shorter; I don't believe that it would have had as much impact as it did if the article was published just in the paper.
I agree with what everyone previously said, the story was written extremely well. However, I don't think that people would be as drawn, or affected by the story without the added emotion through the pictures. The pictures give you a sense of story, rather than just plain fact and help you relate to the family, almost as if you were there struggling with them. The internet was the perfect place for this story to be told! I think that the writer and photographer worked great together to come up with a touching and compelling story.
ReplyDeleteThe original article did an excellent job of portraying the family and their despair, but the photo gallery added a whole other dimension that helped illustrate the story further. The photos definitely provoke a more emotional response from the reader, but I think it would also have to be paired with the original article as well (as it was there) to capture the depth of the story as well.
ReplyDeleteLaura Nowak
ReplyDeleteThis article does a great job of taking you inside a home of people being hit very hard by the recession. I have heard about people going through difficult times but this really shows how people are being affected. The presentation of the article, especially the pictures, were clearer and I felt horrible for the family. Well written articles like this one definately make you want to help those in need. You can relate to the family and this story shows their real emotions.
The article was very well written and hard hitting. It gave the true view point of the effects of the recession. The photos made me even more empathetic of people's problems because I had a visual aid to see the many hardships of America. I liked how the pictures came with a small caption describing the secene. However, I found the advertisements distracting.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really well written story first of all. Secondly I thought that it reall hit home with them movie to Jackson and all. I found it very interesting because I knew the economy was bad but to hear a first hand story about a family in America dealing with things was hard. I feel horrible for them and pray that they find a job.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the pictures were a great addition but the advertisement was not necessary.
The biggest difference I saw with this post was that it read more like a story than any news article i have read lately, and that really helped me to identify with the people involved much more effectively. The pictures showing the family during their tough time definitely was an effective bonus to understand the true conditions of the family as well. Before I took a look at the photo gallery, this was just words upon words of a family somewhere far away, but seeing their faces and seeing them have to say goodbye to all their family and friends made the story much more worth the time it took to read. I believe that added videos and sound clips and other multimedia effects would only better enhance the understanding of future readers, not hurt it. This is most likely, in my opinion, the future of journalism.
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