CS8206 - “What is the Place of Web Documentary in Journalism?”
Personally, it was an eye-opening experience to explore “Highrise: Out My Window”. Compared to other documentaries, it was a fresh exposure for me to learn about highrises in that manner.
In response to the question, “What is the Place of Web Documentary in Journalism,” I think that firstly, web documentary is something that is just starting out in journalism. Till date, I feel that television and videos are still the main medium for documentaries. One of the reasons could be due to the fact that television access is more common as compared to Internet access. The main motivation behind making a documentary is to promote awareness of the situation being explored. Thus, one would want to choose the most accessible medium. That could be why television shows are more preferred. This is also talked about in Highrise: Director’s Blog. It was mentioned that, “54% of households with incomes under $30,000 had access (to internet)”.
However, having said that, it is not to be denied that there could be a high possibility that there will be more web documentaries increasingly. Looking at the numerous awards that “Highrise: Out My Window” has won, it goes to show that web documentaries are slowly attracting more attention from the public. This could be due to the nature of the documentary. Since it was a webpage, it is easier to circulate this website address as compared to a video. For example, all I have to do is to give someone the link, and they can view it immediately. It is of a lesser hassle as compared to viewing a television show.
Also, with such an interesting interactive user interface, it was a bonus point. Although it was just a different way of presenting the content, personally, I felt like I was really living in the apartment, and “living life” with the tenant. And because it was so interesting, it was very natural for me to want to show to it my friends the interesting website that I stumbled upon. Thus, even though I may not be very interested in this particular project, unknowingly, I have been helping to create more awareness of highrises in Canada.
Another plus point of a web documentary is its flexibility. Though television shows may be more accessible, but once it is recorded, it is difficult to make changes to it. This could be a hindrance to documentaries which are reporting on things which are on-the-go. In contrast, web documentary allows you to update it everyday. In this way, not only can people know the latest news, they can also read the archives to find out on the past happenings.
Thus, in conclusion, I feel that although web documentary may be something that is fresh in the journalism world, it is just the beginning. I foresee that there will be increasing attempts at web documentaries, and it could possibly be one of the driving force in journalism.
