STORYLIVING: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HOW AUDIENCES EXPERIENCE VR AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR JOURNALISTS02
Abstract
Over the past few years, we’ve seen the rise of a
new medium for storytelling in journalism: virtual
reality (VR). But as VR technologies continue to
evolve, signifcant questions remain on how best
to use VR to tell stories in a journalistic context.
This paper uses ethnographic research to help
journalists develop a better understanding of
how to tell stories in VR. It provides insights on
what makes VR a distinct storytelling medium,
what makes VR alluring to audiences, and what
that means for how journalists can produce
compelling experiences in the medium.
The study found that what makes VR distinct as
a medium is that it 1) conveys the sense that the
viewer is “living” the story as opposed to being
told it (“storyliving” rather than “storytelling”);
2) allows viewers to expand their perspective and
“shapeshift”; and 3) leaves viewers with powerful
emotional experiences. The study found that
VR is alluring because it provides audiences the
opportunity to participate in a story, seek out
specifc emotional states, and embody someone
or something else.
For storytellers and journalists looking to work
in VR, the study recommends 1) conveying an
emotional impression, even at the expense
of conveying specifc information; 2) playing
with perspective in new ways and creating
opportunities for participation; and 3) taking into
account the heightened vulnerability of subjects
when constructing a storytelling experience.
WHAT’S INSIDE:
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Methodology & Terminology
Part 3: Findings
Becoming Virtual
The Lure of the Virtual
Creating Virtual
Broader Refections
References
STORYLIVING: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HOW AUDIENCES EXPERIENCE VR AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR JOURNALISTS03
In 2016, the John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation commissioned
a research study called “Viewing the Future Virtual Reality
in Journalism.” The study showcased VR as an important
medium for journalism and highlighted the growing desire
of journalists to inform and connect with audiences in new
ways. The report also drew attention to the signifcant
barriers to producing VR journalism, including the cost of
production, the accessibility of headsets, and questions
around ethical and storytelling challenges.
Earlier this year, the Reuters Institute for the Study of
Journalism published “VR for News: The New Reality,”
an exploration of the challenges news organizations face
in further integrating VR storytelling into their newsrooms.
The report found that challenges remain in how newsrooms
invest in VR, create great content experiences, improve
hardware and shared platforms, and encourage audience
participation and monetization.
Introduction
1.
STORYLIVING: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF HOW AUDIENCES EXPERIENCE VR AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR JOURNALISTS04
Our study focuses on the storytelling challenges of the medium by exploring how people experience VR
storytelling and what makes it distinct as a medium. For the past six months, the Google News Lab has
conducted an ethnographic research study to explore these questions in depth.
This study serves an important role in the Google News Lab’s broader efforts in the feld of immersive
storytelling. We’ve provided journalists with in-person training in new VR tools, convened coalitions like
Journalism 360 to accelerate immersive storytelling in journalism, and helped produce lighthouse VR
projects like The Guardian’s “6x9” piece to inspire the industry. Developing a more rigorous understanding
of how VR storytelling affects those who experience it and using those insights to inform how to approach
storytelling and reporting in the medium are critical to that work — and constitute the focus of this study.
1. INTRODUCTION
From top left to bottom right: The Guardian’s “6x9, Journalism 360, Jump,Google Cardboard, New York Times Cardboard
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