Over the last year, news organizations have put together some incredible pieces of interactive storytelling. See 10 of our absolute favorites from 2013.
1. ‘Bulger on Trial’
As the Whitey Bulger trial was set to begin, the Boston NPR station WBUR created an epic site that chronicled the local mobster’s long history of crime and sordid legacy. The site featured a live blog of the trial and also resurfaced archival news stories that allowed readers to see how the crimes were covered when they happened.
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2. ‘Harper High School’
This two-part series from the weekly public radio show This American Life went into a Chicago high school to tell the stories of gun violence and its impact on the students’ lives.
3. ‘Concussion Watch’
In conjunction with the Frontline episode “League of Denial,” which aired October 8, the PBS show launched “Concussion Watch” to log the head injuries and traumas of NFL players from both the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The site breaks down the statistics by position played as well as team injuries.
4. ‘Cotton’
When the Rana Plaza garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed in early April the NPR show Planet Money was already asking questions about how clothing is made, from manufacturing to distribution. This in-depth interactive chronicles the various steps and takes a look at how clothing comes to us.
5. ‘NSA Files: Decoded’
When Edward Snowden and the London newspaper The Guardian revealed the shocking extent of National Security Agency surveillance, we were all put on notice about how technology also can be used for tracking. This six-part interactive chronicles how our lives are being monitored—both online and in the real world.
6. ‘Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl’
This year the WNYC show Radio Lab told the heartbreaking story of a baby girl, her adoptive parents, and her biological father. This in-depth look at parental rights and the Supreme Court should not be missed.
7. ‘Street View Treks’
Google has launched yet another innovative product, Google Treks, which calls on users to “unleash your inner explorer.” The site allows virtual tours of various worldwide destinations, including Venice, the Galapagos Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. These are seriously fun journeys that allow users to satisfy their wanderlust without a plane ticket.
8. ‘How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk’
The New York Times has outdone itself with this interactive quiz that determines which region of the country you are from based on dialect questions.
9. ‘The Lives They Loved’
This user-generated project elevates both the term and the final product. In “The Lives They Loved,” The New York Times has given a voices to everyday people who lost someone in the last year. It is an honorable and moving tribute.
10. ‘The Serengeti Lion’
With photos, video, and stills, National Geographic and Michael Nichols take users inside a pride of lions. The results are stunning.
