Inspired by the progression of immersive storytelling, a professor at University of Southern California (USC) in Annenberg is using cutting-edge technology to prepare a new generation of journalists.
With The New York Times (NYT), National Public Radio (NPR) and other media giants beginning to use Virtual Reality (VR) and 360 degree video, it is apparent that the future of journalism is digital.
USC Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication Associate Professor Robert Hernandez is a pioneer of what will most likely be the subsequent form of journalism. Since 2009, he has spent his time teaching and preparing students with the tools to enter the workforce in the digital age. Hernandez is now continuing his third year teaching his trademark course “JOVRNALISM.”
“My entire professional career has been digital journalism, so it’s in my nature to experiment and explore new technologies and possible disruptions,” Hernandez said. “I have always been attracted to shaping best practices in these new spaces, whether it is through Web development/coding, social, mobile or now immersive.”
Hernandez’s passion is portrayed through his credentials. He taught the first ever Google Glass class at any major university and co-founded the popular online journalism Twitter hashtag #wjchat. He has worked and taught classes in VR, augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and other digital platforms.
Recently, Hernandez and his students have been working to construct award-winning comprehensive report projects. Hernandez has even granted his students the privilege of working side by side with reporters from NPR and the NYT to cover the 2017 presidential inauguration and the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. in 360-degree video.
Working with talented journalists who are already established in the field had a positive impact on Hernandez’s students and the journalists alike.
“Working together allowed for fantastic knowledge exchange,” Hernandez said. “Students saw how the NYT’s reporters got closer to the action for more engaging videos, and that had direct impact on how they captured the women’s march. With NPR, we helped introduce the use of 360/VR for news coverage. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship where we are sharing our skills and amplifying the innovative journalism.”
One of Hernandez’s classes’ comprehensive reports in 2016 called “Hell in High Water,” portrayed Houston’s potential for immense flooding and eerily predicted the future. That report made Hernandez and his students the only university team to win a Society for News Design Best Digital Design award of excellence. The team’s competition included entries from The Washington Post, the NYT and the Los Angeles Times.
In November 2017, Hernandez and his students won an Online Journalism Award in the Online News Association’s student division. The team’s work reported environmental and societal threats at the Salton Sea in Southern California.
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Source: TUN