Multimedia in Environmental Disaster Journalism

By Isaias Martinez September 22, 2021

The idea of journalism has evolved from its printed roots onto the ongoing social media phenomenon. Multimedia and online journalism in general have been described in being most effective in delivering news according to Bob Wyss in Covering the Environment (2019). Taking from his learnings of multimedia it is important to analyze the importance of multimedia in common media journals. In this case, the popular and accessible New York Times will be used to explore the way that online journalism has persisted to become the dominant form of news coverage.

Multimedia is defined as being the way that people use mediums outside of traditional writing, like photography, to further develop and expand on writing (Wyss, 2019). While being defined as photography they often capitalize on visual and auditory resources. They provide a different way of perceiving and conceptualizing the story which help the reader develop their thoughts and opinions by providing interactivity beyond script in journalism. A news outlet frequented by many students would be the New York Times as many educational institutions provide access to this media source. Using 43 Die as Deadliest Storm Since Sandy Devastates the Northeast by Andy Newman, an analysis will be made of the effectiveness of multimedia towards reader’s engagement and understanding with purposeful photography as an aid to their writing.

The fairly recent article really appeals to the everyday reader with short paragraphs and emotionally stimulating photography. The first impactful image is one of cars drowned in water which entices the reader to continue as it presents a common commodity being disturbed. It also helps illustrate the severity of the current situation caused by Hurricane Ida (Newman, 2021) and creates an ambience of sorrow. The second image of the destroyed basement also really aims to the sentimental aspect of the reader. With a home being a mostly universal experience, the destruction of a person’s home can be sentimentally compelling to all. All of the images show the human condition after the hurricane and life has been increasingly difficult (Newman, 2021). These images truly pair well with the writing that describes the human impacts that Hurricane Ida has had on the particular area. This all goes back to the ideas presented by Wyss which express that the media is a means to fully develop a story (Wyss, 2019). They have employed the use of multimedia in the form of photography to appeal to the reader, mostly in emotional ways. In my personal understanding, the media in this article help me articulate and personally interpret the journalism presented to me. The photography has proved compelling enough to help illustrate an image of the impact Hurricane Ida has had on other human who live lives paralleled to mine.

Sources

Newman, Andy. 2021, September 2, “43 Die as Deadliest Storm Since Sandy Devastates the Northeast.” New York Times. Print

Wyss, Bob. Covering the environment: How journalists work the green beat. New York: Routledge, 2019. Print.

Edits

This Blog Post has been edited on the 8th of December 2021. The primary edits include addition of text to strengthen the arguments being made by explaining and interpreting the multimedia in the case study story on the impacts of Hurricane Ida.