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.

A Few Thoughts on Managing Multimedia Projects

Living in a digital globe, we are becoming more and more digitalized the way we live, and the way we work.

For journalists, today's industry is getting digital by the minute. Print or broadcast media are all becoming digital ones.

The New York Times, for example, has a wonderful website: you can read the news stories, listen to and watch its podcasts, free, day and night, in the air or on the beach. It is a multimedia platform to engage with both editor, journalists and the audiences!

That is why I am taking this multimedia course at Georgetown University, and other courses with focus on multimedia techniques.

From the first class on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010, I learned a bit more about the teaching plan, and I must say, I like it very much. And I would be honest with myself, this is the most pleasant first class I have even taken in years - relaxing, and interactive, and eye-opening!

I like Professor Carlos Roig's "Big Idea" in managing multimedia projects, as I've always feel like to see a forest rather than a tree over the years. Of course, I realize that with so much in detail to achieve before any multimedia projects can be done successfully.

Having said that, I am expecting to gain not only strategic mindset in initiating multimedia projects, but feasible management skills that I can apply to my journalistic work,and beyond.

Of course, to take on any multimedia project will require team work, ideally with expertise on sound, video and still image management, as projects are getting more and more complicated.

With my years of practicing journalism in both traditional broadcast media and website, blogging, and twittering, along with newly-acquired skills in video production, I am confident that the "Managing Multimedia Projects" class will be very productive in spring 2010.

Here are some of my favorite websites that show excellent multimedia ideas:

http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
http://journalism.berkeley.edu/
http://www.virginia.edu/
http://web.mit.edu/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/