The future of journalism: 3 Multimedia journalists to watch

1. McKenna Ewen

It is rare to see a multimedia journalist who truly fits the definition of the craft — a mastery of many different types of journalism and the wisdom to know which to use. McKenna Ewen is that journalist. In his relatively brief, but accomplished career, the award-winning twenty-something has created riveting stories in a variety of media, including text, photos and video. Times of Recession, a gripping look at how the failing economy is affecting all walks of life, and Remembering Spc. Carlos Wilcox, the story of a military officer who died in an Iraq missile, indicate that McKenna has a bright future ahead of him.

2. Mathilde Piard

Mathilde Piard, an internet producer at The Palm Beach Post, grabbed the attention of the audience at last week's Online News Association conference when she emphatically declared that young journalists are not the carefree, free-spirited wanderers that veteran journalists often think they are. A champion for younger journalists as well as female journalists, Mathilde is using her Twitter feed to establish herself as a voice of a new generation of journalists. Mathilde has a number of stellar multimedia projects to her credit, including Inside Home Birth, a story of women choosing to birth their babies away from hospitals, and Hot Jobs, where locals discuss the ups and downs of their trade.

3. Chris Tompkins

At the core of every one of Chris Tompkins' multimedia stories is a great visual eye, an impressive mastery of photography and the technical skills to bring it all to life. Chris has a varied collection of multimedia stories to his credit. Among them: Yosemite in Sight & Sound, a recent project on the national park, demonstrates both a commitment and dedication to pulling together an amazing story, and, as you'll see from the video below, proves that Chris stands head and shoulders above even some of the most seasoned visual journalists.