Multimedia reporting depends on collaboration, experimentation and clear purpose, said Courtney Kan, senior editor for visuals of the Washington Post.
Strong stories begin with a strong idea, she said at a panel titled Visual Storytelling at MediaFest 25.
“Visuals should enhance and not distract from the narrative. Reporters, editors and designers must work together to determine how text, audio and visuals can deepen audience understanding,” she explained.
Kan said visual stories often raise crucial questions: What should the audience see first? How quickly should the piece be published? And what access do reporters have to photos, sources or sound?
Reporters should start by identifying the central takeaway the story is communicating, then deciding how the narrative will be framed.
Kan said key scenes should leave the strongest impression.“Evaluating the team’s best assets whether interview, archival footage, photographs or audio to ensure each element supports the story’s core message and emotional impact.”
For example, for “The Perfect Predator,” an investigative feature on police misconduct, Kan and her team reviewed hundreds of court filings, interviewed dozens of sources and reconstructed events to reveal how one man with a history of abuse became a police chief in a small town.
These projects require cooperation across teams and a willingness to experiment.
“They take flexibility especially when you’re balancing deadlines with storytelling depth,” she said.
Even on tight schedules, journalists can apply these principles to make stories more engaging and emotionally resonant, per Kan.
“When you know the story you’re telling and why it matters,” Kan said, “the visuals will always follow.”
Tagged under: SPJ, mediafest25