Reportr.net

Audio slideshows have become a standard feature of many news websites, largely due to Soundslides by Joe Weiss.

For the uninitiated, Soundslides is a easy-to-use tool to produce still image and audio presentations in Flash, without the need for coding skills. This is just as well, as only one of my journalism students has any experience of Flash.

But this is the way it should be. Being a multimedia journalist isn’t about coding, but about using tools such as Soundslides to tell stories.

Audio slideshows are an emerging format online. At its very basic, this combines the permanence of still photography with the auditory sensation of sound.

What is interesting about slideshows is how many factors can affect the impact of the final product. Journalists need to think about more than the selection of photos and scripted narration or clip, and the interplay between visuals and sound They also need to consider:

• The sequence of images
• The pace of editing
• The relationship between sequences and pace to the subject matter

The value of Soundslides is journalists don’t have to worry about the technical aspect of the production process. Instead, they can focus on the journalism and on how the combination of visual and auditory media can affect the message.

For example, this slideshow on guitar lessons for the elderly has a leisurely pace to it which matches the subject matter. In contrast, the rapid fire editing in this one from The Guardian about France’s rundown estates reflects the edgy urban nature of the topic.

Pace and editing are key factors in creating slideshows, adding a layer of complexity to the story-telling that goes beyond thinking in multiple media.

For some of the most innovative uses of audio slideshows, head over to Mediastorm for a glimpse of what is possible.