A Short Analysis of Multimedia Coverage of Haitian Earthquake

Since Haiti was hit by the catastrophe on January 12, 2010, all media, print, broadcast and online have been covering the development around the clock.

One of the best multimedia coverage, as I can tell, is the New York Times's website, with a special project called "Haiti Earthquake Multimedia", (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/17/world/americas/haiti-earthquake-multimedia.html), where you can find photography, videos, audios, and interactive graphic materials, from day one to the latest.

Let's take a look at these different components:

(1)Assessing the Damage in Haiti, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/18/world/americas/0118-haiti-assess-maps.html#tab=0, where there are four sections: The Scene, Building Damage, Temporary Shelter, and Road Debris for readers to look into each section for more information.

(2)Devastation and Survival Along Avenue Poupelard, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/24/world/haiti-street.html, which shows a place on a map with a more closer picture to follow, along with texts to provide more information.

(3)Many video clips on many different aspects of the disaster in Haiti, like this http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/01/13/world/americas/1247466532047/haiti-s-legacy-of-environmental-disaster.html, but I NEVER LIKE ITS "Staples" ADS before the contents; it's dramatic and in funny tone, and is out of line with the tragical atmosphere.

(4)Rescuers Race Clock in Haiti, http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/01/15/world/20100115-HAITI_3.html, with so many shocking photos.

(5) Video information on "Haiti Quake Day 5: Tensions Rising", http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/01/16/world/americas/1247466582363/haiti-quake-day-5-tensions-rising.html

(6)On Jan 22, "The Missing in Haiti"(http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/14/world/haiti-missing-people.html) provides a place for people to look for their relatives/friends, employees, and so on. More information available by clicking on the picture.

(7) On Jan 26, a new section was created "Perspectives on Haiti's Earthquake"(http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/world/haitivoices.html)-for people, such as journalists, and academics, to reflect on this event.

All in all, these 40 sections provide a comprehensive information about the earthquake in the island country.

Without multimedia technologies, the information cannot be available in such rich medium to readers/audiences almost simultaneously.

As we all know, the first information about the earthquake was sent out on Twitter! Surely, anyone on the scene can be a "citizen reporter" if he/she has a digital camera, and a cellphone with access to the Internet.

Of course, many other news organizations also provide timely information with multimedia tools, including,

USA TODAY, http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/haiti-timeline-interactive.htm,

CNN Special Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/haiti.quake/; Christiane Amanpour is in Haiti, along with other reporters.

CBS does not have a special coverage on the earthquake, but has a lot of reporting on the development.

ABC provides a special coverage, http://abcnews.go.com/International/HaitiEarthquake/, with a small number of sections, though.

MSNBC has a topic on "Haiti", http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34748828, but does not input so much, I have to say. A lot of outside links are provides on the topic page.

Huffington Post created a special coverage with a title "Some News is so big it needs its own page", http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/haiti-earthquake, including a blog on this quake.


From my readings over the past two weeks on Haiti, I find all news organizations have maintain their journalistic values in carrying out their performance. News values such as impact, timeliness, prominence, conflict, proximity, currency are all reflected in their coverage.

My question is on technologies. How does a news organization employ so many talents and resources on a special coverage when breaking news happen, and how do the editors and reporters coordinate their working relations in such urgent conditions? What stories come first and with what kind of background supporting materials, like video, and audio, and interviews with relevant experts in the field? and so on...

Hope the class can discuss these issues with the professor in our next class.