In this much-needed examination of the principles of multimedia journalism, experienced journalists Richard Koci Hernandez and Jeremy Rue systemize and categorize the characteristics of the new, often experimental storyforms that appear on today’s digital news platforms. By identifying a classification of digital news packages and introducing a new vocabulary for how content is packaged and presented, the authors give students and professionals alike a way to talk about and understand the importance of story design in an era of convergence storytelling.

Cover of the book Principles of Multimedia Journalism

“Hernandez and Rue have been key players in the evolution of multimedia storytelling. With this book they detail the key tenets and history of this emerging format with detailed case studies on some of the top producers working today.” —Brian Storm, Founder, MediaStorm

“Hernandez and Rue take us behind the scenes to the pivotal moments that helped shape the techniques employed by today’s best interactive storytellers. Along the way, they introduce us to a new way of categorizing stories, which gives those of us in the newsroom and classroom a foundation to think about new work.” —Josh Williams, Multimedia Editor, The New York Times

“I saw a piece of art from Pop artist Donny Miller that stated: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to think they’re original.’ I appreciate the snark. But one truly needs to value history. If you understand how the past was shaped, your future will be better informed and more enlightened. The Principles of Multimedia Journalism from Koci and Rue is a perfect combination of looking at the evolution of news design, diving deeply into recent case studies and exploring the current frameworks to help push us into the future.” —Andrew DeVigal, University of Oregon School of Journalism & Communication

Jeremy Rue

is a Lecturer of New Media at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. He was formerly a multimedia instructor for the Knight Digital Media Center at UC Berkeley, where he taught new media storytelling workshops. He is a former print reporter, photojournalist, and Web developer. He is the recipient of the Dorothea Lange Fellowship award for his photo documentary work on migrant farmworkers.

Richard Koci Hernandez

is an Assistant Professor of New Media at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and a National Emmy Award–winning multimedia producer.

His work for the Mercury News earned him two Pulitzer Prize nominations. In 2003, he was the recipient of the James K. Batten Knight Ridder Excellence Award.