Multimedia storytelling does not change principles of good journalism

The principles and basic rules of good journalism remain the same, though journalists now have exciting tools, said MinJung Kim, the Head of Visuals Asia of The Wall Street Journal, at a forum at Hong Kong Baptist University this morning.

An interactive story "Five Major Risks to Flying in Asia" won Kim 2016 SOPA Awards for Excellence in Digital News and Information Graphics.

Producing multimedia stories should be a content-based decision although the virtual reality, 3D modelling, data visualisation are "popular and cool" forms of journalism, said Kim, and "choosing which medium can best tell your story" is the second concern.

Featured in the "No Good Choice" story is an audio of an Indonesian domestic helper who was sexually assaulted by her host family in Hong Kong. Her face cannot be shown as a victim under Hong Kong law, but the audio instead, shows the her emotions and creates a vivid image of her.

As for deciding which medium to use, Kim said reporters can come up with an idea, which will later be pitched by developers who have expertise in a certain medium.

Multimedia projects require collaborative efforts and early planning with involving parties. According to Kim, the team which puts moving pieces together is usually comprised of project managers, writers, developers, designers, data researchers and video producers.

Another interactive story "Kowloon Walled City", which incorporates video interviews, photo archive, map, and timeline, has taken about six months to produce because a lot of time is spent on researching and obtaining permission to use the archive materials.

However, for breaking news stories, Kim said they would do them incrementally - text goes first, and they will add video, graphics and interactive elements.

The SOPA Forum will continue tomorrow and other award-winning journalists will share their experiences, including Nita Bhalla and Aun Pheap.