Principles of Multimedia Blog Post 3

The internet has forever changed how journalists publish quick and to-the-point updates. In such a fast-paced society where time is limited and news organizations are battling to get the story first, Twitter has become an essential journalism tool.

But changes in long form blogging are happening as well.

An article written by Kevin Nguyen from the Nieman Journalism Lab published earlier this month brought to my attention an interesting new approach to web design.

Sites like The Verge and Pitchfork are creating beautiful layouts to showcase their stories in an aesthetically pleasing and uniquely ambitious way.

Pictures and illustrations appear and move across the screen as you scroll down the page. It feels similar to looking at a magazine article but more interactive. It doesn’t feel as if you’re reading an article. As Nguyen describes, it does feel like you’re experiencing it.

The Verge’s homepage itself is eye catching with colors utilized in a way that I have yet to see on any major news site.

One particular piece I enjoyed from The Verge was their cover story feature ‘Glitter on the Dark” about Bat for Lashes’ Natasha Khan. The photos change as you scroll and simulate movement. I feel like this creative technique presents Khan more effectively than a simple still image can.

Another interesting pieces to check out include: The Long, Strange Trip of Dock Ellis by ESPN about a baseball player who pitched an incredible game while on LSD.

Though the sites are new, it feels like they’re at the forefront of a substantial change in the way journalists present their longer pieces of work online. Journalism has already evolved into more than simply black words on a white page. Now it’s time to evolve into more than simply black words on a white screen.