THE USE OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING TOOLS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MULTIMEDIA NEWS REPORTS Dissertation presented to the Universidade Católica Portuguesa to obtain a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies, in the specialty Internet and New Media By Juliana Pereira Soares Faculty of Human Sciences April 2020 THE USE OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING TOOLS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MULTIMEDIA NEWS REPORTS Dissertation presented to the Universidade Católica Portuguesa to obtain a Master’s Degree in Communication Studies, in the specialty Internet and New Media By Juliana Pereira Soares Faculty of Human Sciences Under guidance of Prof. Dr. Nelson Ribeiro April 2020 Abstract This project aims at examining a number of influences on the changes that have occurred across storytelling in journalism. Particularly, how and why the ways of telling stories in journalism have been transformed throughout time. Further, how the incorporation of digital storytelling tools into the construction of non-fiction narratives has altered and influenced the perception of journalists towards stories. Another objective is to understand how journalists work with narrative and design building so as to create pieces that involve, engage and retain the audience. Finally, as a result of these changes, predict where journalism may be headed as technology further develops and new media elements emerge. This study then presents the analysis of multimedia news projects from the Portuguese Público and Expresso as well as the American The New York Times. Professionals from these three media organizations were interviewed to examine how news topics are chosen, project planning is undertaken, and reports built. The methodological approach is based on the categorization of digital news packaging developed by Richard Koci Hernandez and Jeremy Rue. Keywords: Storytelling, Digital Journalism, Multimedia, News. Acknowledgements To my beloved mother, Maria das Graças Fernandes Soares, who has unconditional faith in me and who has taught me that if you persevere and put your heart and soul into everything you do, nothing can stop you from making your dreams come true. “Stories are the way to capture the hopes, dreams and visions of a culture. They are true as much as data are true. The truth of the powerful and irresistible story illustrates in a way data can’t begin to capture. It’s the stories that make you understand.” Carl Sessions Stepp Index Introduction .................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 1- The New Communication Ecosystem ...................................................... 12 1.1 – The mass media and one-way communication .................................................. 12 1.2– Audience segmentation and digital media .......................................................... 15 1.3 - The world wide web and information technology .............................................. 17 1.4 - The information society and the network society ............................................... 19 1.5 - The media in the network society and the real virtuality ................................... 22 1.6 - Media matrix and autonomy ............................................................................... 26 1.7 - Communication as an ecosystem ........................................................................ 27 1.8 - The different factors and the new ecosystem operation ..................................... 29 1.8.1 – Media factors ............................................................................................... 30 1.8.2 – Contextual factors ....................................................................................... 32 1.8.3 – Techno environmental factors and the network society .............................. 33 Chapter 2 – Digital Storytelling .................................................................................. 36 2.1 – The foundations of storytelling .......................................................................... 37 2.2 – The purpose and perception of storytelling ....................................................... 42 2.3 – Media and their influence on stories .................................................................. 44 2.4 – Time to go digital ............................................................................................... 46 2.5 – Games and Storytelling ...................................................................................... 50 2.6 – The second web and storytelling 2.0 ................................................................. 53 2.7 – Augmented reality and virtual reality and storytelling ...................................... 59 2.8 – Storytelling and journalism ................................................................................ 62 Chapter 3 – Journalism: from analogical to digital .................................................. 65 3.1 – How it all began ................................................................................................. 65 3.1.1 – The radio ..................................................................................................... 70 3.1.2 – Television .................................................................................................... 72 3.1.3 – The evolution of content and text ................................................................ 76 3.2 – Digital Journalism .............................................................................................. 79 3.2.1 – Citizen journalism and social media ........................................................... 83 3.2.2 – Mobile journalism ....................................................................................... 85 3.2.3 – Data journalism ........................................................................................... 87 3.2.4 – Immersive journalism .................................................................................. 88 3.2.5 – Multiplatform and Multimedia Journalism ................................................. 92 3.2.5.1 – Snow Fall .............................................................................................. 94 3.2.6 – Taxonomy of digital news packages ........................................................... 98 Chapter 4 – Methodology .......................................................................................... 107 Chapter 5 – Data Presentation and Analysis ........................................................... 110 5.1 – Analysis of the interviews: the journalists’ perceptions .................................. 111 5.1.1 – The beginning ............................................................................................ 111 5.1.2 – Change in the newsroom ........................................................................... 113 5.1.3 – Reporting and narrative construction ........................................................ 115 5.1.4 – Evolution and future prospects .................................................................. 117 5.1.5 – Professionalism and passion...................................................................... 119 5.2 – Report analysis ................................................................................................. 120 5.2.1 – The New York Times ................................................................................ 121 5.2.1.1 – Finding Hope in the Vigils of Paris: A Virtual Reality Film ............. 121 5.2.1.2 – Our Boat was Intercepted by China .................................................... 122 5.2.1.3 – Deliverance From 27,000 Feet ........................................................... 123 5.2.1.4 – Inside Broadway’s Secret Laboratory: ‘Hamilton,’ ‘Frozen,’ and So Much More ........................................................................................................ 125 5.2.1.5 – Apollo 11 - As They Shot It ............................................................... 126 5.2.2 – Público ....................................................................................................... 128 5.2.2.1 – 1440 Minutos de um Dia Normal ....................................................... 128 5.2.2.2 – O que o Fogo do Andanças Levou ..................................................... 129 5.2.2.3 – Canta, Zeca: A Fotografia de Família que Juntou Palco e Plateia ..... 131 5.2.2.4 – Sente-se na minha cadeira: a cidade não é para todos ........................ 132 5.2.2.5 – A Lua 50 Anos Depois ....................................................................... 133 5.2.3 – Expresso .................................................................................................... 135 5.2.3.1 – Matar e Morrer por Alá: Cinco Portugueses no Estado Islâmico ....... 135 5.2.3.2 – Temos que acabar com essa história de gueto, de favela, de cidade partida ................................................................................................................ 136 5.2.3.3 – Estamos aqui para formar animais de combate: oito meses dentro dos Comandos .......................................................................................................... 138 5.2.3.4 – Estamos condenados? O prazo para salvar a Terra termina em 2030 140 5.2.3.5 – Há 50 anos o Homem pisou a Lua. Será que em breve irá lá tirar selfies como turista? ..................................................................................................... 141 5.3 – Main Findings .................................................................................................