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In an ever evolving media landscape, it can be challenging to figure out how to present multimedia in a graceful way. And while there can be a lot of lamenting over new media eclipsing more traditional forms of journalism, it can also be used to enhance the time-honored forms of storytelling. This was certainly the case for the New York Times journalist Amy Harmon’s recent piece “Autistic and Seeking a Place in an Adult World.” Harmon, a Pulitzer Prize winner, followed a young man with autism named Justin Canha for a year. She wrote an engaging narrative, delving into the complexities and challenges that Canha, a budding animator/illustrator, faced as he made his way into adulthood.

The Times added another dimension to Harmon’s already captivating account with multimedia “quick links.” These links not only showed Canha’s quirks through video and his talent for drawing, but provided an important facet to understanding his character and experience. It is the perfect example of how multimedia can be used to complement a more traditional piece, the powers of print, photo and video woven into one experience. I spoke to Harmon about the piece, which drew attention from journalists and Silicon Valley types alike. Read more

You may remember an article from The Wall Street Journal earlier this year which talked about the lucrativeness of selling video scoops directly to media outlets. The company at the center of this article was Citizenside, a French company created in 2006. Since then, the company has grown by leaps and bounds, most notably because of a 2007 partnership with Agence France-Presse (AFP), one of the three largest news agencies in the world. This year, Citizenside also released their new smartphone app which lets users capture video and photos and upload them directly to the Citizenside website.

Citizenside’s global news coverage is the focus of their service. Most of the stories are based around events in Europe, with a good number of stories from Asia, North America, and South America. Members can add videos and photos directly from the Citizenside website, or they can use the Citizenside mobile apps. You can share your news images with Citizenside’s online community of global citizen reporters, leave comments, and share media to your social networks. Active members can also earn points for their submissions. The more your photo or video is seen, ranked, or commented, the more points you can earn. The highest ranked members of the month are featured on a monthly leaderboard.

Perhaps the largest benefit for joining and posting news to Citizenside is their commission program. Citizenside acts as a sales agent for their extensive network of print and online news outlets (300 in France and 7,000 internationally), and members can receive up to a 60% return on media sold to these outlets. Payment is delivered to members via PayPal within 60 days, and Citizenside maintains an exclusive three-month publishing license once media is uploaded to their service. If you are a buyer for a media agency and want to use any of the photos or videos offered on Citizenside, check out Citizenside Pro for more information.

Citizenside is currently available on both iOS and Android for free. Keep up with the Citizenside team by visiting them at http://www.citizenside.com/, or by following them on Facebook or Twitter.

For multi-platform journalists, presentation is often just as important as information when it comes to telling your stories. Some journalists go for a simple approach, such a social media profile which chronicles their adventures in the field with links to interesting topics of discussion. Others are more bold, as is the case with BOLD Edition.

The website’s credo (and corresponding video trailer) illustrate their concept beautifully.

/bōld/, not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring; not hesitating to break the rules of propriety; beyond the usual limits of conventional thought or action; imaginative; striking or conspicuous to the eye; flashy; showy.

“BOLD Edition exists based on the premise that every story exhibits figurative or literal elements that embody The Bold,” says Clarence Smith Jr., editor-in-chief. BOLD Edition stories are comprised of thoughtful storytelling, compelling original photography, and beautifully shot video trailers.

BOLD Edition’s first story — “The Sting” — chronicles a cyclist’s journey on retrieving his rare bicycle that was stolen by a local criminal. Through the use of video and photography, BOLD Edition transforms this into a gripping tale of redemption and justice. BOLD Edition is an amazing example of how multi-platform journalism can really give a more well-rounded yet nuanced perspective into everyday stories.

Find out more about BOLD Edition at http://www.boldedition.com, or you can follow BOLD Edition on Facebook and Twitter.

For independent journalists, raising funding to pursue your stories can be difficult. Crowdfunding through Kickstarter can be a great way to raise awareness about your project and build momentum around your cause.

Currently, Kickstarter is the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world and has helped users raise over $40 million since its inception in April of 2009. While film, music, and design projects tend to be the most successful, there are also a great number of journalism projects available. Pledges on some of these campaigns are as little as $1.

Here are a few great journalism proposals on Kickstarter which span a wide range of voices. Do your part and pledge your support to any or all of these campaigns!

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