media update’s Jenna Cook takes a look at the reality of putting readers ‘inside the story’.
Immersive journalism is becoming the natural next step in the world of reporting. With many more journalists adopting this medium, it’s up to their audience to determine the fate of such a change in the industry.
As journalism has evolved, each wave of change brings the news closer and closer to the people who interact with it. With humble beginnings as a trade that relied heavily on word-of-mouth, it quickly evolved when the printing press was invented.
Soon, audiences were inviting the news into their homes with the invention of television and radio. It came even closer when the news became accessible through mobile devices. And now, journalism is so close to the lives of its audience that it asks to be a part of it.
What is immersive journalism, really?
VR has crossed the threshold from toy to tool. And with the technology going mainstream, it’s no surprise that it’s become useful in the journalism industry. In simple terms, immersive journalism is the combination of audio and visual technology – VR – in a fully engrossing experience.
People who participate in this immersive experience are transported to a virtual world – simply by putting on a VR headset. The participant can then explore the virtual world – in the same way that they would in reality – by looking around and interacting with the virtual surroundings.
How does VR change the way we interact with news?
The first time VR and journalism collaborated was in 2012 when journalist Nonny de la Pena presented
Hunger in Los Angeles. The piece placed the audience at a food bank in downtown Los Angeles where a starving man with diabetes collapsed in line.
While the audience was not actually transported to the crowded food bank, they felt as if they were. This feeling of being in two places at once is called ‘duality of presence’, and it’s what VR relies on to make immersion experiences feel real.
People who participated in
Hunger in Los Angeles were visibly affected by the scene, with many saying that the piece evoked the same kind of frustration and helplessness they would have felt if they had actually been there.
Since the birth of immersive journalism, it has grown into a
billion Dollar industry that seems to be getting bigger every year. As the technology improves, one thing is clear – immersive journalism is here to stay. And not
only stay but also completely reinvent the way that people digest the news.
Suddenly, audiences have the ability to take the journalist out of the picture and witness news scenes for themselves. This brings the viewer to scenes of war and hunger, and even natural disasters, right from the comfort of their everyday reality.
Where is this immersive technology going to take journalism?
Immersive journalism is a powerful way to capture the attention of an audience – so that they don’t just think about events, but rather experience them.
The only potential threat is fake news – no big surprise there. There are many platforms that allow users to edit – and forge – their own audio and visual material. And with every passing day, the potential to create fake news becomes easier and easier.
With this new technology comes great responsibility. Tech journalist Angelo Paura says, "The challenge for VR journalism is to prevent dishonest organisations and individuals from producing fake VR work and passing it off as real."
But where is the line between passing off the news as it actually happens and artistic license? It’s up to the maker, not the medium, to be ethical in their reporting. Journalism owes it to people to remain truthful and relevant – whether that’s on paper or on pixels.
As drones become an integral part of how journalists gather their news, one has to wonder – What can drones offer that traditional reporting cannot? Find out in our article, Three reasons why we need drones in journalism.
*Image courtesy of Vecteezy