Media Insider: Writer Salaries, More on Virtual Realty Storytelling, and Other Media News

Welcome to Media Insider, PR Newswire’s round up of journalism, blogging and freelancing stories from the week.

Photo by pestoverde used under CC BY 2.0

How Do You Tell a Story in Virtual Reality? (Re/code)

Last week, we featured a story on virtual reality ethics that started with “Virtual reality journalism is with us to stay.” This statement is quickly showing its validity as this new and exciting tool becomes more mainstream. In this piece, the author outlines different methods that may be used by journalists, including “capturing moments of wonder and sadness.” It also depicts how journalists are already using this medium to relay experiences to their audience, and even provides a VR video example. This is a great read for anyone looking to experiment with virtual reality storytelling in the future.

VR, 360 Video and Bouncing Drones: 5 Media Industry Takeaways from IFA15 (World Editors Forum Blog)

Speaking of virtual reality, IFA (aka the “Internationale Funkausstellung”) recently took place in Germany. It is considered one of the oldest and largest industrial exhibitions and this year one of the most prominent takeaways is that “VR is ready for prime time.” The author here provides his thoughts on aspects of this exhibition that are relevant to the news industry, including thoughts on 360-degree video and the future of drones for journalists.

If You Don’t Click on This Story, I Don’t Get Paid (The Awl)

Freelance writer Noah Davis explains how he received two hundred dollars for this piece “plus an additional dollar per thousand page views.” The title may be (a bit) misleading, but this piece has some great information about how much writers are currently making – be cents per word or payment upfront – as well as information on where to find the money. Several contributors and freelancers are interviewed, and most agree that along with working on pieces that matter, incorporating writing and editing skills into “native advertising” should be considered.

Greenpeace Hires Team of Investigative Journalists (The Guardian)

The Guardian reports that the environmental organization Greenpeace has hired a team of investigative journalists “as part of plans to make investigations one of three pillars of its environmental campaigning.” Journalists include former reporters for the BBC and The New York Times, as well as a network of “freelancers, field researchers and specialists based around the world.” The other two pillars for this new initiative include direct action and mobilizing public opinion.

The Washington Post Has Developed 8 Apps for Quizzes and Games (Poynter)

The Washington Post this past year has rolled out a wave of new apps that “allows the paper’s journalists to create quizzes, polls, ballots, brackets and other interactives with minimal hassle.” As journalists continue to delve into “digital media,” more news outlets are implementing gaming and quiz apps in order to engage their audiences. This is an intriguing look into one outlet’s attempt to produce their own apps, rather than acclimate to others.

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Stephanie de Ruiter is an audience researcher with PR Newswire keeping up with media moves throughout the nation with a focus on blogs and online publications.