Published by Emil Abraham, June 16th, 2022

• Text is often the anchor element; provide greater breadth and depth of information; able to convey complex topics, facts and figures; leaves all questions answered (should); figurative language can conjure up a mental image
• Lacks drama, connection (faces), reasons which made people prefer TV to newspapers in the 1960s, requires effort, more process steps to consume information
• When we think of "writing a story," this is what usually comes to mind. But how should text stories be used best within the structure of a multimedia package? Many effective packages have a main story that serves as the anchor, the central jumping-off point for readers that explains why they should be interested and conveys the basic information upon which the package is based. Often they are supported by sidebar stories, as noted above, which add depth and detail to an aspect of the main story. A question you might want to consider about adding sidebar stories, however, is whether they add more to a package than a piece of video or an infographic might. The notion is that other types of content might be more engaging to readers. Of course, the question is just an extension of the larger issue of that kind of media work best for what kinds of content.
• Photos and video are known for conveying emotions, but text stories can do this as well, and also provide a much greater breadth of information. Text can be great for facts and figures if it’s used to clarify what might otherwise be difficult to understand. Text stories also lend themselves toward in-depth analysis of complex topics, providing background information, history of a topic and different sides of issues.
• We’ve already noted that often a text story is at the heart of a package, and part of the reason is that depth of information is text’s clear strength. Often the text story provides the background information that makes all the other elements make sense, introducing people, concepts and circumstances. It can also summarize and connect seemingly dissimilar material.
• The clarity and specificity of information in text stories is something that should never be overlooked. Video or audio interviews or photo galleries provide a type of rich information, but they can leave unanswered questions or unexplained concepts. Individual interviewees and photo subjects aren’t looking at the big picture in the way a skilled reporter or editor does. In many ways, text and editing are what make disparate pieces of media content work together to create a meaningful whole. It’s the element over which reporters and editors have most control within online story packages.
• Weaknesses of text stories are often best explained in comparison to other media. They can lack the drama of video and photos, and the instinctive connection of seeing the faces of the people involved. When television surpassed newspapers as the most popular news medium in America in the 1960s, these factors were widely cited. Yet when used in conjunction with the other media, text stories can wield great power. Figurative language can sometimes create a mental image that is as strong or even stronger than a visual image.

• Traditional multimedia storytelling element; provide drama, create emotions, empathy, - tools to tell a story, rather than a pretty picture, complement/augment text; humanize that information; appeal to the heart - no story package is complete without photos
• Great at spotlighting moments but weak at providing context

• Today’s audiences have grown up with TV, movies and online video, so they may be drawn to video content more quickly than any other type of media; not for every story, but that which involves action;
• Photos are better for moments, video is better for processes; interviews - more a personal connection; wanting to shoot everything might not work as well
• Not good at conveying detailed info; illusion of reality while missing out critical info that is out of the view field; editing and processing takes lot of time; with titles, transitions and other on-screen elements - highly time consuming, often more than other critical tasks put together; sometimes raw video connects more, resonating with 'reality TV', it carries the typical risks of unedited video - might seem unprofessional;

• Often underrated and underused; very effective if done well; the engaging visuals of photos and video and the facts and details of text – into something uniquely informative. Instead of writing a history of a given company or institution, you can create graphically rich timelines featuring photos and key facts from across time. The key to effective infographics lies in taking something complex and using a visual apparatus to make it simple and easy to understand; it should only be used when they will add something unique to a package.
• Animated infographics that clearly show a trend over time

• Ties the elements of a story package together into a cohesive whole.
• Captions, photo/video credits, names of people pictured, headlines that would help readers connect the sometimes disparate elements of a package.