Devadas P Rajaram ‘The writer isa professional trainer of New Media/ Social Media skills and techniques atthe Asian College of Journalism, Go viral ‘ew Media technologies and platforms offer unimaginable possibilities in mass com- munication. Journalism, which is a key component of mass communication, has been experiencing the impact of technolog- ical advances with the expansion of the communication process from static to dynamic, ‘The ever expanding advances in com. munication technology opens up exciting new possibilities as well as challenges for media organisations ‘The impact is more discernable in the structure of content from rigid formalism to dynamic fluidity, and the role of the audience from passive receivers or con- sumers to active participants. The trans- formation of the mass media into an interactive medium with multiple partici- pants complementing the varied functions of mass communication has results in far reaching changes in the way we communicate, ‘The evolution of the media eco system from a statie one-dimensional flow of in- formation into a multi-dimensional inter- action between multiple participants has changed the dynamies of journalism. The platforms and technology demand contex- tual and structural shifts in delivery modes. Content structure and style need to be tai- lored to suit the new medium to achieve effective communication. The ground- breaking changes in communication tech- nology also call for the restructuring of how journalists ideate, approach, structure and publish stories. British media academic David Baines argues that new platforms and applications have elevated the “process” — the format and how content is delivered — to become as important as the “product” — the story, image or video. SECTION ‘The shrinking readership of traditional ‘media calls for a new set of digital skills to navigate the evolving journalistic land- scape and connect with the audiences and converse with them in a new and meaning- ful way. Technology can enhance your nar- ratives through multimedia content and distribute stories across digital delivery platforms. Social media has expanded the horizons of engagement with audiences ~ turning communication into an intense conversation, ‘The Future of Storytelling project by media research group Latitude underlines the paradigm shift taking place in journal- ism, Unsurprisingly, @ majority” of the ‘media consumers are keen to take advan- tage of everything that technology has to offer. Their key demands are summarised in Latitude’s report as “The 4 I's: Immer- sion, Interactivity, Integration and Impact. Some ofthe key findings ofthe report areas follows: ‘Transmedia is more than media-shif- ing, Fighty-two per cent of participants wanted more mobile apps that would com- plement, and not just replicate their TV viewing experiences. The real world isa platform, too, When asked to develop a new way of interacting with stories, 52 per cent of participants treated the real world as another platform, incorporating networked real-world ob- jects, augmented reality, 3D projected en- Vironments, and other technologies that bridge the divide between thedigital and physical Audiences crave more control. Seventy nine per cent suggested interactions that ‘would allow them to alter a storyline by influencing a character's decisions or by becoming a character themselves. Traditional notions of authorship areRd earn Pe to ne muting Deere aie BCs lm ao fe Set red cere Pointers for you 'AS the audience becomes more demanding, news organisations are rethinking ways to make storytel ing more compelling and engaging The ground-breaking changes in communication technology also @ eal for the restructuring af how journalists ideate, approach, structure and publish stories Where to study Asian College of Journalism, Chennai All forms of media platforms are centrally connected and equally important in mass communication Indian institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore —_—_—————oo Total communication experience. PHOTO: AP nxt.step changing. The real-time, connected culture of the Web is converting storytelling to a more participatory art; 93 per cent of par- ticipants expressed interest in submitting possible story ideas to producers, and two third of the participants said they'd be will- ing to help fund stories they're interested in (on a platform such as Kickstarter.) In essence, the audience wants to be able to explore a story in greater depth, and have the possibility of accessing it in varied mediums, The future implications of such break- through technological platforms in mass media communication are potentially far- reaching. New ideas for engaging with au diences may open up fresh windows of op- portunity and pose unforeseen challenges for content providers, demanding constant efforts to deal with the fast-moving devel- ‘opments in technology On the one hand, the progress in tech: nology can help the mass media to provide a total communication experience involv ing text, audio and visual components with interactive features where the audience and content providers function as co-producers, As the audience becomes more de- manding, news organisations are re-think- ing ways to make storytelling more compelling and engaging. The New York ‘Times integrated info graphics, flyovers, audio and video in a nearly seamless way to deliver an “immersive” experience to its web readers in Snow Fall. The techniques of illustrated storytelling — used by Cali- fornia Watch for the story ‘In n Jennifer's Room’ — presents new possibilities of new media storytelling with illustra tions when you have no photos, audio interviews or compelling visuals that could be used. The Guardian’s ‘Riot Rumours’ data interactive — which won a Data Journalism Award in 2012 — illustrates how data visualisation can be a com= pelling experience for the audi- Digital media has two key benefits not provided by old media—searchability and shareability. The future is in handheld devices— printed newspapers will die out." mani ausTiN ence. All forms of media platforms are centrally connected and equally important in mass communication, Media profes sionals, content providers, technology ex perts and audiences are vital components complementing each other in the mass communication apparatus. Interactivity and the virtual experience ofa story should be able to enhance understanding without diminishing any of the critical elements of the process. As technology continues to break new ground, the crux of the dilemma facing media professionals is the critical issue of how to tailor quality news content to cater to the plethora of state-of-the-art devices that are changing the media environment. As the communication process moves on to the next level, information providers and journalists will have to use new tools to convey this innovative digital experience to the audience. They will have to transmit these blended realities, using new structur es and syntax, to explain the three-dimen- sional virtual experience in deta including the cultural and social histories of places in the context of a news story in augmented reality to convey a sense of to- tal involvement to audiences,