Defining Multimedia

The concept of mulitmedia is the most important concept for me in these chapters.

Multimedia is often used to be defined as using various forms and combinations of media - sound, text, video, animations - and presenting them to users/consumers of that content. Web site tools and technology enable news organizations to gather and present story accounts of events - as well as images, sounds, and even analysis of the events - as never before.

But here is the question - so what?

When we are given "multiple" choices to decide in what way we can present our story, journalists are obligated to transform seemingly mundane events into something meaningful. Through multimedia, the media organizations can provide a sense of depth, togetherness, interaction or even localism, depending on how the content can be created and presented. And they have to be creative, if not, the function of multimedia will not be fully utilized and pitifully wasted.

A one-way road becomes two-way.

The limitless permutations of content and delivery can be involved but the goal of the multimedia story telling is to serve to inspire both the writer and the readers to become involved and make a difference in the community and to break down the barriers between the consumer of news and journalist.

There are these key points often convergent journalists need to keep in mind:
- The active nature of Web consumption means users are less likely to simply sit and watch television on the computer.
- Convergence means rich content can now be produced and presented in multiple forms on the Web. In many cases, text remains the glue that sticks the content together. All segments of rich media must be adequately labeled and described.
- Slug, or brief description, any media content to be experienced in real time should include the total time so the user can decide whether it is worth the time to experience what has been provided.
- Text is the foundation, but nontext material is also common and popular, especially images, sound, moving images, animations and graphics, interactives, and combinations thereof.

But the most important to remember is that although the tools constantly change, the basic function - telling the story in the best way - will always remain. Everyone wants to hear a good story that brings out the best of the human condition. It is rare for an individual to become expert using all of these tools, it is imperative to find the ones that seem to work best with and practice the craft.

There are no shortcuts.

Each of the authors learned by reading the principles first and then going out and doing them. The best and only way to do best is to do it. Practice makes perfect.

All roads lead to Rome.

You can choose the best way to achieve the point you want but Rome won't come to you even if the car is not started.