Kirupa.com has a easy and helpful tutorial on how to create interactive objects in Flash that can be dragged and dropped. The insanely addictive Stardoll makes great use of a similar technique to create interactive paper dolls. This technique can also be used to create draggable photos or interactive games.

Here's an example that I produced last year for the Contra Costa Times. Click "continue" and select "Carolyn Dundes." The remote is both draggable and interactive.



As you can see, the remote is an odd shape and has a transparent drop shadow. To create draggable items in Flash that are not rectangles or squares, create your image in Photoshop or Illustrator with a transparent background. In the File menu, click save for web and select the "PNG-24" option. You can then import that object into Flash and it will retain its shape and/or transparency.

Labels: flash

I love the concept of Associated Content. Its kind of like AP without the professional journalists and distribution system. Touted as "the people's media company, contributors submit original stories as well as images, audio and video. Associated Content reviews each submission and accepted pieces are paid between $3 and $20. Essentially, people report on what they care about with AC serving as a non-traditional news editing process.


Most media outlets kind of have to gauge what their listeners/viewers/readers want from their news. While there are tiplines, letters to the editor, call in shows and more recently comment-enabled websites, these are more reactionary than original sources of news. AskQuestions.org lets anyone with a computer ask the media-ready questions that are relevant to them. Questions include "How are public schools funded in America?" and " When will we run out of oil?" Its like having thousands of assignment editors.

UK-based Scoopt encourages aspiring paparazzi (or anyone in the right place at the right time) to sell their gotcha photos. Users upload their photos for review and Scoopt works as an agent to sell the submissions to newspapers, magazines and other media outlet. Published photos are paid a 40% royalty. The site takes great care to keep its users from turning into a wolfpack and has a detailed code of ethics.

Labels: citizen journalism

Every mainstream newspaper and food magazine has a treasure trove of restaurant reviews and/or recipes that are, at the most, archived or stashed in a shoe box by some homely octogenarian. Its time to dust off those clips and put them to good use.


Instead of forcing readers to recall a restaurant they read some time ago, create an online database of your restaurant reviews. Maps would come in handy here especially if they are searchable by location and categorized by food type, atmosphere, price, etc. Yelp and Citysearch do this quite well (better than most media outlets anyway) for restaurants across the country. Both include both editorial and user reviews as well as photos and maps.

While we're on the subject of food (and because I'm getting hungry) I can imagine the tons and tons of recipes that have been written over the years that are sitting in the news library somewhere. Its time to put those babies online, and because this a multimedia world, why not show your readers how to make those recipes? My favorite part of the L.A. Times building was the test kitchen where all the recipes were cooked before they were printed. If you have such a space, or even a presentable kitchen, get a camera in there and show em how its done. Chow.com uses video to show its visitors how to butterfly a chicken, poach an egg and pimp a burger (?)

A great YouTube cooking lesson from Cooking with Kids after the jump.



Foodieview tackles both restaurant reviews and recipes in an elegant, well-organized way. The site also features a blog and makes use of widgets and Google Maps.

Labels: database, maps, video

I was intrigued by this Uncrate post about T-Post, a Swedish company that produces a wearable magazine every six weeks. A brief news article is printed on the inside of a T-shirt and a clever graphic is printed on the front. Often we think of multimedia journalism as computer-based but what better way to spread the news than to put it on a piece of clothing. I can imagine newspaper-less subway riders staring at the guy with the New York Times splayed across his back.

Mark Ecko's interactive billboards that let anyone with a Bluetooth enabled cell phone interact with the display also have prospects in journalism. Imagine having an updated news ticker at a bus stop that the public can leave comments on in real time. These ideas are free so take them as you will, just cut me a check. (°o°)

Blogging is the new journalism but many media-affiliated blogs are less than extraordinary. Some examples of great blogs include Dallas Morning News' Cowboy Blog, Ted Allen's Top Chef blog (Bravo) and my personal fave: VH1's Best Week Ever blog.

I'm a fan of BWE because the TV show is only 30 minutes but the blog has between 10 and 20 blog posts every weekday. That may seem like a lot (it is), but Best Week Ever also makes use of its "Blogger Action Network" to highlight posts from related blogs not affiliated with VH1. Here are a few more tips on how to better your blog and increase participation among your readers.


1. Include exclusive content
The internet is a great place to include content that, in the interest of space/time, didn't make the broadcast/newspaper/magazine. Exclusive interview and candid outtakes are a great addition to any blog and can be touted in the original story.

2. Ask open ended questions
The best way to invite reader participation is to ask an open ended question. This works best with commentary rather than hard news. Or, at the end of each post, simply ask readers for their input. For example "What do you think about this?"

When readers do comment, respond. It is important that the blog feels like a community and that readers feel like they are a part of that community.

More after the jump

3. Make your blog pop
Are you still using a stock template or does your blog have a unique design that stands out? Even if your blog is gritty, hard-news investigative journalism it could still use a little bit of color. Find a designer to give your blog a makeover or google "blog templates" to find something that suits your topic.

4. Create eye-catching headlines
Your headline can be the difference between a visitor taking the time to read a post or simply glossing over it. A great headline is not only eye catching, but should include relevant keywords that make it more likely to be clicked from a search engine. (Search engine optimization is important, read this Wikipedia entry for more info)

5. Be concise
Many journalists and professional writers, when given the opportunity, will ramble. Blogs are not the place to publish that 10,000 word article that got canned. Keep your posts short and to the point. Break up long blocks of text into shorter ones and include headers when necessary.


6. Make use of your RSS feed
Most blogs include an RSS feed that users can subscribe to via a feed reader or email. Make your RSS obvious somewhere on your page: include an RSS icon somewhere on the page and encourage readers to subscribe to your content. Page views are important so include the first paragraph or two in your RSS feed and a link back to your blog to read the rest.

7. Be a social bookmarker
Social bookmarking sites like Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit, Ma.gnolia (and several others) allow you to share your bests posts with readers who may not otherwise see your content. Include links or icons that let users automatically submit their favorite posts to such sites. For example, check out the row of icons below each 10,000 words post.

8. Interact with other bloggers
With the millions of bloggers out there, chances there are other bloggers that are that covering similar issues. Find out who these bloggers are and send them links to some of your posts that they may find interesting. There are many local bloggers who are eager to trade links with an established media organization and may be doing so already.

9. Post consistently...
...and not just when news breaks. Having a inconsistent blogging schedule dissuades readers from coming back. If you build it, they will come!

Thanks to NorthxEast and Cash Bulge for the inspiration.

Labels: blogging

You'd think a social network for the dead wouldn't be all that lively, Respectance ushers the traditional obit into the digital world. The site is sort of like a MySpace for the deceased — anyone can create a page for their loved ones that can include photos and videos. Visitor can contribute to the obit or leave a memory of the person. Respectance includes shrines to both the famous and non-famous (check out the pages for Lucille Ball and Elvis Presley and the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting.)


As my bride-to-be friend Tara Cuslidge will tell you, the knot is the site du jour for anyone planning a wedding. The site lets brides (and grooms) keep track of the wedding budget, create guest lists and wedding albums, find tuxes and dresses and discover ideas for making the special day even more special.

Most interestingly, is the ability of users to share tips on great wedding and reception locations and recommend local services. This could be incorporated into any news site that has an existing classified section and is a perfect way to incorporate local advertising and sponsors.

When is my Wedding? lets anyone create a custom widget that counts down to the big day (see an example below) and can be embedded in any site. If your site is targeting brides to be, you may consider sponsoring a widget to extend your brand.

Labels: social networking

You've seen some great maps, now its time to create your own. Google recently announced the ability to embed Google Maps in your own site by simply cutting and pasting HTML. The embed code uses an iframe tag to streamline the process. To grab the code, click "Link to this page" in the top right corner and select "Paste HTML to embed in website."



So extracting this code from the Google Maps site

<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=colorado
+springs,+colorado&ie=UTF8&ll=38.956205,-104.754639&spn=0.469337,
0.933838&z=10&iwloc=addr&om=1&output=embed&s=AARTsJrvR8_nCDEAdyll
dYZydg5i0rq0Pw"></iframe>lt;br/>lt;a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=colorado+
springs,+colorado&ie=UTF8&ll=38.956205,-104.754639&spn=0.469337,
0.933838&z=10&iwloc=addr&om=1&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left;font-size:small">View Larger Map</a>

will give you an embedded map like this:

View Larger Map


The new feature ends the need to use a third-party application to embed Google Maps, though such applications make the creation of custom maps much easier. Also, as Ryan from CyberNet News points out if you extract the URL from the embed code, you can create a full-screen Google map (example here).

Labels: maps

I've found that I blog a lot about maps, as evidenced by the tag cloud in the right rail, and I had to ask myself why. Because maps are a great way for journalists and designers to display information in a compact and visual way. The following Google maps are unique and well-presented and well...useful.


1. TaxiWiz estimates the cost of cab fare between two points and plots the route on a Google Map. The site covers nine cities including New York City, Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, San Diego and Vancouver and can be accessed on mobile devices.

2. Walk Score determines the "walkability" of a neighborhood by factoring nearby grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Walking, as the site says, is good for your health.

3. Boston University Maps More clever and user-friendly than the maps of my alma mater, BU's maps uses the net to map buildings, parking spaces, computer labs and a lot more.

More after the jump

4. In the wake of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, journalists everywhere scrambled to locate structurally deficient bridges in their area. US Bridge Map effectively categorizes where these bridges are, including those that are "functionally obsolete."

5. Oakland Crimespotting is engaging not only because of its volumes of data, but also the way that data is presented. 13 categories of crime are mapped and are scalable by time frame.

6. Incident1 is a similar crime map, but includes police, fire and 911 emergency call for the entire country. Its like having thousands of police scanners in one room at one time.

7. Wikisky has brought the planetarium to the internet with its interactive map of stars and constellations. Personally, I can only identify Orion, but I believe WikiSky could reveal the astronomer within me.

8. Bible Map breaks down the Bible by book and chapter and then plots the cities, regions and geographical features mentioned in the text. Very helpful for locating Gethsemane (Mark 14:32).

9. Tour the Town is an interactive, graphic-based map of Colonial Williamsburg that offers compelling details of the city's many homes and businesses.

Labels: maps

I'm often asked to check out a stellar website or multimedia project and figure out how they did it. A lot of it is having a good eye, but there are some tools that will help you discern how the site was put together.


One of the quickest ways to see the inner workings of a site is to scan the source code. Be advised this requires some knowledge of HTML. In Firefox or Internet Explorer select "View" from the file menu and choose either "Source" or "View Source." A text document with the source code of the website you are viewing should pop up.

An easier alternative is to use the site BuiltWith. Simply enter the web address of the site you are interested in and BuiltWith will tell you what elements are used on the site. For example, here are the elements that make up the 10,000 words site (Hint: Google Custom Search, Blogger, Flash, Feedburner and RSS, plus other things.)

Deconstructing a Flash file is not as simple, but there are tools like Sothink's Flash Decompiler and Eltima's SWF Decompiler that convert SWF files to FLA files. Both are free to try. If this sounds like a doozy, ask a tech savvy colleague or friend to lend a hand.

Labels: site management

Today's news roundup:

CyberJournalist has a list of the top 10 newspaper websites. Not surprisingly, the New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today make the top 3. A colleague mentioned before this list was published that these papers' web content is great because they can afford and/or have the staff to do extraordinary work. I tend to agree although a large part of great multimedia journalism is taking risks and being innovative.


Google Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt gives his take on what Web 3.0 will be at the Seoul Digital Forum. Web 3.0 has been a tossed around, but relatively undefined concept (Wikipedia initially removed and later flagged its Web 3.0 page because of unsourced statements. Here is Schmidt's take on Web 3.0 as quoted by Cybernet News:

Web 3.0 will ultimately be seen as applications that are pieced together. There are a number of characteristics: the applications are relatively small, the data is in the cloud, the applications can run on any device (PC or mobile phone), the applications are very fast and they are very customizable. And further more the applications are distributed by virus…essentially virally. Literally by social networks or by email. You won’t go to the store and purchase them.

View Schmidt's dialogue below:

Labels: news on the news

BlogTalkRadio is revolutionizing how bloggers interact with their readers and—if enough newsrooms pick up on it—multimedia journalism. Currently, the only way to have your own radio show is to a) be a part of an existing radio station b) podcast c) set up an antenna and some tin foil. Not so anymore.



BlogTalkRadio, which is currently in beta, allows anyone with a telephone and an internet connection to set up their own streaming online talk radio show. The best part is listeners can call a dedicated number to talk with the on-air personality live. A lot of newspapers have set up online chats between sources and readers, but this allows readers to actually hear the person as they talk. Media outlets who podcast can now make them interactive using the service.

Fox Sports has already hopped on the BlogTalkRadio bandwagon as have tens of thousands of other broadcasters. The service allows unlimited listeners and up to five simultaneous callers. Radio shows are also saved in mp3 and podcast format.

Labels: blogging, radio

The need to be able to spot a coming natural disaster became more evident after a tornado ripped through Brooklyn last week. The Weather Channel does an excellent job providing up to date information in different formats (radio, tv and online). But to track more specific weather events instantly, check out these sites.


Earthquakes

As a California boy I have long used the US Geological Survey to find out if the shake I felt was an earthquake or an errant airplane. The USGS site offers a simple map that displays location and magnitude of recent earthquakes.

Ask.com has a similar, more easy on the eyes database, though the source of the data is unclear. Ask also gives users the option of searching for recent activity near them, rather than having to scan a map.

Tornadoes

The University of Michigan's tornado tracker displays current and historical data on a Google map.


Hurricanes

Stormadvisory.org mashes data from the National Hurricane Center with a Google map to show current hurricane activity in the Atlantic and Caribbean. The site also tracks past major storms in a step by step visual, like this map of Hurricane Wilma.

Labels: maps

The advent of interactive radio sites such as Pandora and radio-meets-social-networking sites like last.fm have created online communities that are several steps above traditional radio. Yes is pushing online radio one step further by mapping what songs are playing on radio stations across the country. Yes users can also select a specific radio station, for example KFGY in Santa Rosa, and see what song is currently playing as well as watch a YouTube video of the song. To top it all off, the site's visitors can also rank each song, view other stations that are playing that artist (ex: Beyonce) and purchase the song from either iTunes and Amazon.

That is a lot of features packed into one incredible website but any radio station can incorporate these features, if you are not doing so already. Start by letting listeners be the music/program director. After all, they know better than you do what songs they want to hear. Try partnering with online music vendors to generate advertising to support your online presence. Or if you want to go for broke, incorporate all of Yes' features to make your site more dynamic and attract a loyal following. After all, uniting a community is what radio is all about.

Labels: maps, radio

A much debated topic in my newsroom as well as several others is whether posting a thumbnail of an image found on the internet is copyright violation. Some said yes, others said no, but there was never a concrete answer. However, attorney AJ Thomas pointed out at the 2007 NABJ convention in Las Vegas that a court determined in the case Perfect 10 v. Google, Inc. that Google Images does not violate copyright laws by indexing images found on the net. The thumbnails images are protected under fair use.

Well how big is too big when it comes to thumbnails? There is no court-supported answer, but Google's thumbnails are generally no larger than 150 pixels wide. If you decide to go ahead and thumbnail someone else's image, a safe bet is to keep it small and provide a link to the original image, Thomas said.

Google Maps Street View has added Orlando, Houston, San Diego and Los Angeles to its street-level viewing tool. The cities will accompany Las Vegas, Denver, San Francisco, Miami and New York for which panoramic views have been available for some time.

As reported earlier, camera-equipped Google cars have been spotted all over the country. The addition of street-level views of the four cities is useful for journalists and those seeking to explore the area, but the release is not without controversy. A recent Los Angeles Times article points out that many believe that, though legal, Street View maps are an invasion of privacy. In the article paparazzo Francois Navarre called Street View "an interesting and useful tool" for any journalist.

Labels: maps

A visual overview of multimedia journalism can be viewed here as presented at the 2007 National Association of Black Journalists Conference. This presentation includes where to find online editing and multimedia creation tools.

Video cameras can get expensive but great editing doesn't have to add to the bill. If you don't have a fancy video deck at your disposal try using Windows Media Maker for PC users or iMovie which comes preinstalled on most Macs.


Online video editing services like Motionbox, Movie Masher, Jumpcut and Photobucket allow you to upload your footage and add extras such as captions and audio. This is great for video that will ultimately end up on the web but don't expect a broadcast quality final product.

When you've become comfortable editing, Jake Ludington gives a play by play on how to blur faces in a movie (for those sensitive subjects) and Instructables explains how to add green screen effects to your movie.

Find more tips at MacDevCenter.com including low-light illumination and battling backlight.

Labels: video

The advantage of reading news on the net is that anyone can read exactly what they want without leafing through huge newspaper pages or sitting through long broadcasts. A PDF version of a newspaper is a great way to bridge the gap between the print and online product and gives readers the news they want in a compact format.

A PDF or Portable Document Format is a file format developed by Adobe that packs text, graphics and fonts into a single file. A PDF document is somewhat similar to HTML and may contain hyperlinks and multimedia elements and can be downloaded and printed or saved for later reading.


Metro Newspapers offers PDFs of its Silicon Valley, Santa Cruz, and North Bay California papers. The UK-based Telegraph has archived PDF versions of its afternoon paper Telegraph pm as does the Santa Monica Daily Press. Find more magazine PDFs here.

So how do you do it? A talented copy editor can layout selected stories and images and, depending on the program being used, export the file to Adobe PDF. The file can be uploaded to your site and made available as a link.

If you don't have a copy editor to spare, xFruits offers a unique tool that converts your RSS feeds into a handy, though not as visually appealing, interactive document in a few minutes. Imagine offering users a sports section dedicated exclusively to their favorite team, based on an existing RSS feed. In order to work properly, the RSS feed must include content, not just a link to the article. Check out the xFruits-created 10,000 words PDF here.

Labels: pdf, rss

As a multimedia journalist I often find inspiration in websites outside of the journalism realm. Here are some of favorite sites that whose functions could be incorporated into news sites.

4. Yahoo! Answers
Yahoo! Answers is a community of users that ask and answer questions that typically can't be answered simply by a search engine.
5. Flagxo
Flagxo lets users rate airports around the world on such things as wi-fi and outlet availability, lounges and transportation. Very useful information to know before traveling.
6. Half.com
Half.com is the place to find used books, music, movies and video games and a much lower price than retail.
7. Facebook
Facebook is quickly taking over Myspace as one of the premier social networking sites. With the addition of Facebook applications the service will continue to grow.
8. Pandora
Pandora suggests music that you may like based on the music that you do like and lets you listen to it for free.
9. Stylehive
This social shopping community makes bookmarking chic clothes and decor a group effort.
10. Internet Movie Database
The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. My last search: Anna Sophia Robb.
11. Mailbox Finder
Have you ever spent minutes searching for a mailbox? This handy Google Map points out exactly where to find one.
12. allmusic
Allmusic is like an encyclopedia of music. Find track listings for virtually any album, reviews and music clips.
13. TVGuide Listings
TVGuide's listing are presented in an easily scannable online format.
14. Weather.com
Weather.com is the most easy to use meteorological site and has more weather-related information than one will ever need.
15. Yelp.com/ CitySearch
Both Yelp and CitySearch offer editor and user generated reviews for restaurants, clubs, spas and more.
16. Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a repository for movie reviews and showtimes. Films are rated "fresh" or "rotten" which makes its simple to determine instantly whether a movie will be good or bad.
17. WebMD
WebMD provides valuable health information, tools for managing your health, and support for medical issues. I've had a couple of ailments (strep throat, cold sores, etc.) which I have self-diagnosed through WebMD. I'm no doctor, but the site makes me think I am.
18. Auto Trader
Buying a new car is tough. Auto Trader makes it a lot easier by allowing users to search for cars by ZIP, make, model, price, etc. and compare prices.
19. So You Wanna
This site answers life's most important questions like how to cure a hangover, lie persuasively or convert to Buddhism.
20. SignalMap
Want to know if your new place has good cell phone service or if you can make a call from the local park? SignalMap displays cell phone signals across the country.
21. Double Feature Finder
Use this tool to find two movies that are playing back to back.
22. National Center for Educational Statistics
Enter some information and find out statistics about a school, library or college near you. Great for people young ones or students. Simple, yet very informative.
23. Mpire
There are a lot of compare & shop sites out there, but I find Mpire to be the most streamlined and easy to use.
24. NPA-NXX Geolocator
When you get a call you don't recognize, input the first six digits of a telephone number and this geolocator spits out an approximation of where the call is coming from.
25. Fast Food Maps
When you absolutely must know where the nearest KFC is, Fast Food Maps will tell you within seconds.

Labels: citizen journalism, maps, social networking

Scrolling, scrolling, scrolling. Still haven't found what you were looking for on that news site? Long page lengths are often the result poor navigation and make it difficult for users to find what they want quickly. Page lengths vary by computer but any news site should be easily navigable or risk losing frustrated visitors.

The Marumushi Newsmap is a great example of a news site that doesn't require scrolling. The news is categorized by section and by time. Seth Familian points out in his talks that Drudge Report is some seven page lengths long and has been that way for 10 years (Link courtesy Wayback Machine).

There is no standard page length, but irt.org suggests keeping pages under 2 scroll lengths long while Website Gear suggests page height should be no more than 4 scroll lengths. Both sites agree that content should be broken down in appropriate sections and links to these sections should be easily found near the top of the page.

Clicktale Blog offers solutions (and bar charts) here.

Labels: site management