Building Context

One of the concepts we talk about often with community building through a media company is laying out the context a specific community or issue lives in. A media company is perfectly suited for this work, which is why and how it can become a powerful force (for good, of course) in building communities. Here are two great examples of media companies laying out visually the context of an issue or various angles of a story:

The New York Time's iPhone Economy video: (hat tip: Ben Smith)

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/20/business/the-iphone-economy.html

ESPN's Outside The Lines piece, titled “A Man Obsessed (hat tip: Andy Stoll)

http://espn.go.com/espn/eticket/worldtriathlon

This piece recently won two EPPY's, one of the most prestigious awards for online journalism. From the article on the award-winning piece:

It is an incredible story captured by and presented with a combination of written word, a series of video vignettes and an interactive graphic design that draws readers/viewers into the thoughts and emotions of Wittmack and his family as they struggle to come to terms with his obsession.

It is also an example of great reporting made even better by a digital, multi-platform approach that brings the story to life in a new way for sports fans. That’s innovation.

These media pieces engage the viewer and build a common knowledge framework among them. Just about everyone who interacts with these pieces has learned about them in a way that allows them to speak the issues and form their takes on them.

Compare that result to reading a three inch article on the confusion that broke out at a meeting about an issue. Context allows more people into the thought space of the community where they can be informed players and co-creators.

Let's start a list of great context-building media pieces and interfaces. What other examples should be on the list?