Comments on: Multimedia http://www.david-campbell.org Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:30:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David Campbell http://www.david-campbell.org/multimedia/comment-page-1/#comment-32 David Campbell Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:37:49 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?page_id=10#comment-32 The claim being made is that long-form, in-depth journalism is achievable on multimedia platforms in a way that is rarely if ever achievable now in more traditional media. I would say that is an empirically sound claim. The issues you rightly raise is whether, in fact, once available on the web etc, people are accessing stories regularly and fully. That is open to question, for sure, but I'm not aware we have any firm basis yet for concluding one way or the other. So the potential is there, but is it being realised? Probably not yet, but it could be, and mobile devices will be an important part of that I suspect. The claim being made is that long-form, in-depth journalism is achievable on multimedia platforms in a way that is rarely if ever achievable now in more traditional media. I would say that is an empirically sound claim.

The issues you rightly raise is whether, in fact, once available on the web etc, people are accessing stories regularly and fully. That is open to question, for sure, but I’m not aware we have any firm basis yet for concluding one way or the other.

So the potential is there, but is it being realised? Probably not yet, but it could be, and mobile devices will be an important part of that I suspect.

]]> By: Benjamin http://www.david-campbell.org/multimedia/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Benjamin Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:23:41 +0000 http://www.david-campbell.org/?page_id=10#comment-29 I'm not so sure the facts bear out your point about making 'long-form, in-depth journalism achievable'. As a BBC Radio 4 docs producer its always been a great privilege to make 30 min programmes knowing that you'll be getting a million plus listeners. On websites though people's attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Take even the brilliant Media Storm. What percentage of viewers get past the half-way point of their features? Don't get me wrong I am passionate about this form of journalism but I think we have to be cautious in what claims we make for it, especially whilst so many in the industry are struggling (as you rightly acknowledge). Even the BBC, who are starting to produce some really powerful audio slideshows rarely go past the three minute mark. Perhaps the future of the longer format multimedia feature will be on hand held devices, like the I-Touch, where people can watch to kill time on the move? I’m not so sure the facts bear out your point about making ‘long-form, in-depth journalism achievable’.

As a BBC Radio 4 docs producer its always been a great privilege to make 30 min programmes knowing that you’ll be getting a million plus listeners. On websites though people’s attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. Take even the brilliant Media Storm. What percentage of viewers get past the half-way point of their features?

Don’t get me wrong I am passionate about this form of journalism but I think we have to be cautious in what claims we make for it, especially whilst so many in the industry are struggling (as you rightly acknowledge).

Even the BBC, who are starting to produce some really powerful audio slideshows rarely go past the three minute mark.

Perhaps the future of the longer format multimedia feature will be on hand held devices, like the I-Touch, where people can watch to kill time on the move?

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