An overview of NSPA's Multimedia Guidebook presented at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Phoenix, April 2009.

1. Multimedia
Guidebook:
A National Standard
Logan Aimone, MJE, executive director

2. How we got here
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

3. Contest Goals
• To recognize excellence in multimedia
• To encourageGoal 1)
(and support
propegation of multimedia
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

4. Why the new
standards?
• Tostudent media staffs and advisers,
of
meet the increasingly diverse needs
NSPA invested in the development of a
set of standards for multimedia.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

5. Why the new
standards?
• Similar to Guidebooks Guidebook
publications, the new
for print
follows the same basic format but
provides this new tool in a format that
is both useful for students and
teachers but also “walks the talk” of
multimedia.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

6. What does it
look like?
• Presented as an interactive digital
document using Adobe PDF and
designed for display on a computer
screen (or printed for student texts).
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

7. What does it
look like?
• The format takes advantage of the
nonlinear nature of interactive media,
which will allow the user to move
among sections as interested.
• This format also will have the
advantages of easy and inexpensive
distribution as well as the opportunity
to update frequently, just like the
media it governs.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

8. What’s in it?
• Introduction (including the power of
the Internet)
• Choosing the right medium
• Interactivity online
• Breaking news
• Archiving information
• Gathering
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

9. What’s in it?
• Tip lists: MultimediaVideo
Writing for the Web,
reporting,
• Cyber Law by Mark Goodmanadvisers
• Quotes/advice from veteran
of online media
• Screen shots of NSPA award-winning
Web sites
• Hyperlinks to livejudging criteria
Web sites
• Score sheet with
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

10. Scoring
Multimedia
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

11. Scoring Categories
Five categories of guidelines have been
developed and will serve as a framework for the
score sheets used in evaluation critiques:
• Coverage and Content (1,000 points,
may deduct for non-student work)
• Interactivity/Community Tools
(1,000 points)
• Breaking News (500 points) points,
• Design and for non-student work)
may deduct
Navigation (1,000
• Rich Media (500 points)
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

12. Scoring
• Additionally, points will be awarded
for percentage of student work and
frequency of update.
• These correspond to the print
guidelines for student work and for
meeting deadlines.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

13. Scoring
• As with other NSPA critiques,critique
student media submitted for
online
will be rated on NSPA’s traditional
scale: Third Class, Second Class,
First Class and All-American.
• Marks of Distinction may be awarded
in each of the five categories. This is
designed to lend credibility to
multimedia as an equal among print
counterparts.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

14. Scoring
• Rather than ratingdigitally, the new
content presented
the same print
guidelines seek to encourage
innovation with multimedia and Web-
only content.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

15. Coverage &
Content
• A good multimediaand cool video
on flashy graphics
site can’t survive
alone.
• It needs to have substance — good,
solid content.
• And just as with a print publication, it
needs to serve its readers.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

16. Coverage &
Content
• Keep in the traditional newspaper
beyond
mind those readers may go
readership.
• In addition to high school students,
faculty and staff, an online high
school publication may attract
alumni, parents, prospective students
and their families, community
members and even just people who
land on the site after doing a Web
search.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

17. Coverage &
Content Tips
‣ The site includes blogs, interactive
content, such as
Web-exclusive
elements, video, audio and breaking
news.
‣ Special reports and in-depth coverage is
well planned and includes multimedia
components.
‣ The site maximizes the capabilities of
the Web, making use of multiple media
and interactivity.
‣ The site demonstrates a spirit of
experimentation by taking risks and
trying new things.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

18. Interactivity/
Community Tools
• Interactivity is an essential element of
st
21 century journalism.
• It’s no longerto the reader; it’s about
information
simply about giving
creating a dialogue between the
publication and its readers.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

19. Interactivity Tips
‣ Readers are able to interact withwhich
publication in numerous ways,
the
may include comment functions,
discussion boards and polls.
‣ Social networking and community tools,
such as links to other information and
guides to community services, are used
to empower the reader.
‣ Games, polls, quizzes, interactive maps
and other interactive tools are used to
engage the reader with the news.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

20. Interactivity Tips
‣ Readers are invited to submit story ideas
and given a way (either a story
submission form or an e-mail address) to
do so.
‣ Contact information is provided for
readers who want to write a letter to the
editor, buy an ad or contact the adviser
and staff.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

21. Interactivity Tips
‣ The publication makes usemay include
generated content, which
of reader-
stories, photos and videos.
‣ Links on stories direct readers to other
sites with useful and credible
information that enhances the story.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

22. Breaking News
• Since high school print publications
generally come out infrequently, the
Web offers students the opportunity to
report important news events in a
timely manner.
• Online student publications may be
updated on a daily basis, even if the
print edition only comes out a few
times a year.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

23. Breaking News
Tips
‣ The site is updated regularly, daily if
possible.
‣ Important news events are reported in a
timely way.
‣ Multiplegraphics, text, audio, include
photos,
media — which may
video and
interactive elements — are used to report
breaking news events.
‣ Breaking news reports are updated as
information comes in.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

24. Breaking News
Tips
‣ Coveragesuch as notification of school for
readers,
includes useful information
closing in the event of bad weather or an
emergency.
‣ News is accurate, even if the information
is incomplete.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

25. Design &
Navigation
• A Web site shouldsteering the reader
easy to navigate,
be attractive and
toward the newest and most
important information.
• Content should drive design, not the
other way around.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

26. Design &
Navigation Tips
‣ The siteinto stories.
readers
is visually appealing, drawing
‣ Navigation is easy; readers are looking
effortlessly find what they
can
for.
‣ The home page is simple and
uncluttered.
‣ The site provides links to relevant
resources, such as the high school Web
site.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

27. Design &
Navigation Tips
‣ A dominant piece of art, at least twice as
big as anything else, anchors each page.
‣ Visual elements, such as photos and
graphics, are used to enhance content,
not as decoration.
‣ News is presented in a clear hierarchy,
with the most important and/or newest
stories prominently displayed.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

28. Design &
Navigation Tips
‣ Tabs clearlythe publication, such as
sections of
direct readers to different
news, sports, entertainment and
opinion.
‣ Multiple elements of a story are packaged
together into an integrated unit.
‣ Bullets, fonts, boxes and other design
elements are used to facilitate reading
and navigation.
‣ Links provide access to related content on
the site.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

29. Rich Media
• Multimedia offers a rich experience
for readers that taps multiple senses.
New media is constantly changing
and innovation should be a vital
element of any Web site.
• Student sites, in particular, which
are less bound by convention and
market pressures, should be creative
and pioneering.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

30. Rich Media Tips
‣ The site usesaudio, video, slide shows
may include
a variety of media, which
and/or audio slide shows, text and
graphics.
‣ Media are used to enhance content and
help tell stories rather than simply add
flashy elements to the site.
‣ Each media element — slide show,
video, podcast, etc. — tells a story.
‣ Photos and video are adequately lit and
well composed.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

31. Rich Media Tips
‣ Photo illustrations are variety labeled.
clearly
‣ In action, and video, a shots,of shots
—
photos
candids, long close-
ups and detail shots — are used.
‣ In audio and video reports, sound
quality is clear; voices are easy to
understand.
‣ Audio reports make use of ambient and
natural sound as well as interviews.
‣ Graphics are clear and easy to
understand.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

32. Rich Media Tips
‣ Special projects and packages are well
organized and designed to help readers
navigate through the content.
‣ Copyright laws are understood and
respected; only original content or
copyright-free material (music, photos,
videos, etc.) is used.
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

33. What’s next?
• Betaprofessionals continues advisers
and
testing: Feedback from
• Critiques: NSPA will offer Web site
critiques beginning in May 2009
• Contests: These guidelines provide
the standards for all NSPA multimedia
contests, including individual awards,
Best of Show and the Online
Pacemaker
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard

34. Questions?
• Feedback: Send e-mail to
logan@studentpress.org
• Thanks!
Multimedia Guidebook: A National Standard