Guns have been a big issue in news for
quite a while. You hear about murders and shootings and scares relating to
firearms all the time in the media. The Washington Post has put together a
multimedia package all about guns and how they affect society. They call
it “The Hidden Life of Guns.”
Which platforms do I
find the most striking? The interactive maps really show data. The colors,
indicating a certain category, really stand out. The map on crime gun imports and exports by state
in 2009 really shows the facts. Georgia came up as having the highest total
exports in the United States. That means that guns coming from that state have
turned up in the largest numbers in criminal matters in other states. Police
have recovered the most guns that came from other states in California. Who
would’ve thought?
It’s always good to
have all these different platforms to view stories and statistics about guns.
They all tell you something different, even if they are about the same topic.
The visuals of infographics can strike of viewer with bright colors, big and
bold fonts, and graphics that an ordinary article cannot do. The articles, on
the other hand, tell a story. It flows. The reader can follow. After reading,
the reader can click on the links in the story and learn more. Jumping from one
link to the next, the viewer can always learn more about the topic.
One of the articles
says that more
than 62,000 guns were unaccounted for in U.S. since 2008. People clearly
see this as a problem. The article shows a bundle of statistics that most
people may find as striking. It shows how many issues we have with guns in the
United States. Other articles tell of many dramatic stories of shootings, how
cop killers get a hold of firearms, how politics tie in, and all the trouble
that guns cause in the country.
The most striking
platform I have found in the multimedia package was the videos. Dramatic music,
pictures, listening to a storyteller, it’s all there. You can see personal
stories as well. Videos
help you connect with these stories.
These methods of social media do a
thorough job in informing the reader. It’s a good kind of social media that
help us know more about such issues that are quite important in reality. We
expand our knowledge with these stories, videos, and infographics. Washington
Post, you’re doing it right.
