ISOJ 2004

1. MSNBC’s Big Picture
Michael Silberman
Deputy Editor, East Coast

2. Why Big Picture?
Immersive, narrative-based, interactive story-
telling
Engage the user
Create new story-telling forms
Encourage internal creative thinking
An evolution from earlier narrative forms

3. Key Attributes
Control
Depth
Introspection/Interaction
Community
Comprehension

4. Control
Clear, exposed navigation divides the content into smaller topics
Viewers can skip to portions of interest and/or replay parts
Tips
• Use as a standard feature of any interactive story
• Try text that looks clickable (underlined)
• Add recognizable visual cues; some people remember icons or images better
than words
Examples
Big Picture left-side rundown: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
Driving vacations: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/summer_driving/decades/
Darkest Day: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/wtc_terror_experience/

5. Depth
Saves presentation space
Puts context directly where it is most relevant
Tips
Opt-out – where the presentation stops until the user makes a choice
• Exposes additional information
• Disrupts story line
Opt-in – asking follow-up questions or pausing to launch a slideshow
• Provides a smooth transition to more information
• Easily missed
Supplemental – such as factoids appearing in sequence with video
• Provides clarification
• Can be distracting
Examples:
Big Picture: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
Driving vacations: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/summer_driving/decades/

6. Introspection
Directly challenge the audience to think about an issue
Voting/polling prompts people to express themselves
Tips
Placement driven by purpose
• Consider the facts first? Put it at the end.
• Disprove the viewer’s notions? Put it at the beginning.
• Taking the audience’s pulse? It becomes the segment.
Dissect an issue into many smaller points requiring ‘yes’, ‘no’, and ‘unsure’
• Broad vote topics elicit more gut reaction
Decide whether to show the results before, during or after a vote
• Consider the impact results will have on the viewer
Examples
Big Picture: Iraq http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
Big Picture: Election http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/elex/

7. Community
Connects viewers with the story
Audience is part of the presentation by leaving their mark or interacting with
each other
Tips
• Include a ‘write-us’ and ‘e-mail this’ button somewhere that’s clearly visible
during the entire presentation
• Read viewer e-mail
• Consider soliciting viewer opinions and then using them in the piece
Examples
Big Picture: Iraq http://www.msnbc.com/modules/bigpicture/iraq/
StrikeOut! http://www.msnbc.com/modules/sports/pitchinggame/

8. Comprehension
The active, involved viewer is more likely to retain information than the passive viewer
Active = listening, reading and making connections
Tips
• With complicated issues, emphasize key phrases with text in synch with audio
• Add third-party analysis where appropriate to give the viewer perspective
• Break up audio tracks with short pauses, sound bites or sound effects
• Ask viewers to perform tasks that teach
Examples
Enron 101: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/enron/
Conflict with Iraq: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/iraqmain/
Baggage screener: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/airport_security/screener/

9. Our Latest Effort – Oscars v2
Intro on the launch page
Multiple entry points
Larger window size
Re-order playlist
Related info box (persistent vs. transient)
Hide option
Eliminated “save for later”

10. User Engagement – time spent
< 1 min,
30%
1-4 min,
32%
5-9 min,
22%
10-14 min,
6%
15+ min,
10%

11. User Engagement: segments
viewed
1 Segment,
52%
2 Segments,
21%
3-8
Segments,
21%
All
Segments,
6%
48% stayed through the ad

12. User Engagement: time in segment
1-20%,
30%
21-99%,
36%
100%, 34%

13. Entry points
52%
11%
29%
8%

14. 1
4
3
2
5
7
6
9
8
0%
10%
11%
20%
9%
8%
4%
5%
11%
Segment popularity
Popularity Interaction

15. Used playlist: 52%
Changed order: 15%
Sent
comment: < 1% Used related info: 14%
Used hide
for guide: 24%

16. Try it out yourself
http://bigpicture.msnbc.com