1st Place, News or Feature Social Media Coverage
2021-22, Division 1, Digital Media & Multimedia
By Ria Lowenschuss & Cat Weiser
The Communicator Online
Ann Arbor Community HS
DM-02. News or Feature Social Media Coverage
Coverage of a single news or feature story using social media, not created on a breaking news deadline, by any MIPA member program. Entry may include a series of social media posts from multiple platforms and should include a mix of media (text, photos, video, graphics, etc.). Story may cover a news event, trend, human interest topic or other news/feature issue. While coverage may include a link to a more detailed report on your website, key elements of the story should be told directly on social media platforms. Profiles should be entered in DM-03. Personality Profile Social Media Coverage. Sports news/feature coverage should be submitted in DM-04. Sports News Social Media Coverage. Gather social media posts to be considered as part of this entry so they are available at a single URL by using an online curation tool, by embedding the social media content into a web page, or by capturing screenshots of posts and including them in a presentation slide deck. Judges should be able to see all social media posts at once without clicking on any extra links. Submit a URL to the entry.
JUDGING CRITERIA
CONTENT:
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Mixes quality writing with the use of other media (photos, video, information graphics, etc.) to maximize use of social media platforms
- Content is original for social media; avoids summarizing website stories or republishing other materials
- Displays sound journalistic principles; shows thorough reporting skills with facts/quotes from primary and reliable secondary sources
- Avoids opinion unless properly attributed
- Writing is clear, concise and vivid
- Proper diction/grammar; uses third person
- Social media platforms are used to reach, inform and engage with the audience
MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION QUALITY:
- Audio is clear; volume is consistent
- Music (if used) is appropriate for the subject matter, is not distracting and does not violate copyright
- Video is steady/not shaky
- Video exhibits best practices for B-roll: wide, medium, tight shots; limited use of pans/zooms
- Video footage is framed well; follows composition standards; is in focus with good lighting
- Text in any graphic elements is a good size, color to read
- Photo is effectively cropped to emphasize center of interest and enhance content
- Photo is technically strong:
- in focus
- proper contrast
- not too grainy or muddy
- Photographer paid attention to rules of composition; Avoids distracting back/foreground