Google Maps: Easy and Effective

The story of the day seems to be the fires in California, and I found a good example of an effective way to use the Google Maps we talked about in class a few weeks ago. Not surprisingly, the Los Angeles Times has thorough coverage of the fires. A link on the homepage takes Web surfers to a Google Map that includes locations of each fire and information on the number of homes destroyed and people injured. This map is an example of a tool that is simple to use but valuable. The precise location of the fires is something that residents of California need to know, especially if they have evacuated from the area and have no other way of knowing about the houses and valuables they left behind.

The New York Times also has a map of the fires. Although I think it looks more professional than a Google Map at first glance, it does not have anywhere near the value. The small picture cannot be enlarged, and the only cities on the map are San Diego, Santa Barbara, Malibu and Los Angeles, leaving people to only estimate where the fires are occurring. It isn't as imperative for the New York Times to include detailed information, but because this is such a large national news story, it would make it much more interesting. In this case, there is no doubt that the map by The Los Angeles Times wins. A map such as the one used by the New York Times would not have satisfied the needs of their readers.

A little too close for comfort...and I want to be a lawyer?

Last week in JOU4201 we sat in with another class to hear Christine Montgomery speak about her job with the Web department at the St. Petersburg Times. I actually kept thinking that it was for JOU4341 because the lecture was entirely applicable to the class. At first she showed us a few fun and creative multimedia projects. They weren't amazing, but they did demonstrate the variety of things you can do on the Web. Some projects even crossed the line into silly.

She ended by introducing us to a Web special report called Doubt. It is a detailed view into the murder trial of Leo Schofield. Viewers can hear Schofield tell his story, trace his whereabouts on a map and come to their own conclusion about the murder. The report probably contains more information than a juror, who was present at the trial, could tell. I noted some interesting things about this report.

First, it's important to know that I read and listened to the whole report. I lie here sick with a fever, but the report grabbed me and never tested my attention span. Looking back, I realize how much text I must have read. All of that information in a newspaper would be overwhelming, even if supplemented with interesting photos.

Also, the story was more understandable because of the graphics. I probably wouldn't have paid attention to his alibi if I couldn't visualize the route he took. Even if I did pay attention, it wouldn't have meant anything to me.

The fact that viewers could watch Schofield tell his story is also important because we are able to pick up on facial expression and gestures. Those are things that journalists claim are most important to notice while interviewing a person but the average viewer doesn't get many chances to see them.

During the Seeds of Doubt section of the report, viewers are given the opportunity to hear a phone conversation with another suspect and his grandmother. However, the audio clip doesn't play automatically because it contains explicit language. Everything on print and TV is censored, but the Web allows us to decide for ourselves. Gory pictures that would have newspaper editors arguing can go online with a warning attached.

Finally, I must end this by saying that after being engrossed in such a mystery and feeling so close to the characters in this case, I am left feeling slightly disturbed. :-\