Rabble.ca | Nieman Journalism Lab
Although Apple released iBooks Author, its new tool to create interactive e-books, as part of its push into textbook publishing, Wayne MacPhail believes it “could be the platform for a whole new form of rich-media, long-form journalism.” He explains:
We now have, for free, a tool that lets us tell stories and present stories that combine all the interactivity and engagement we could dream of. In a single tool, I can combine what would have been done via video clips, feature stories, podcasts, photo essays, study guides and polls. …
Here’s a free tool that’s a better alternative than an ad hoc paperback, or special section, as a way to package a multipart series. Here’s a platform that encourages readers to touch, listen to, watch, engage with and learn from your story.
He’s not the only one who sees the potential for journalists. Nieman Journalism Lab’s Josh Benton noted that one of the new textbooks announced last week is being released a chapter at a time, which fits perfectly with news outlets’ incremental coverage of ongoing stories.
Imagine a book on the health-care reform debate that could be updated with each twist and turn, adding profiles of the players, daily news updates, legislative summaries, and more as the story developed. Imagine if buying a book was less a purchase of a contained story and more a statement of desire — “I’m interested in this subject and I want to have all the important news and analysis about it delivered to me, in the place I’m used to reading.”
Related: Enthusiasm for iBooks Author marred by licensing, format issues (Ars Technica) | What if you could flip through an e-book like the real thing? (Megan Taylor) | Developer calls iBooks 2 a ‘huge missed opportunity‘ (paidContent)
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