It’s an election year. Your party’s convention is about to begin. You’re there in the seats, watching the first speaker climb the steps to the podium. They flash a smile at the camera, wait for the pause, and begin to speak.
Well, actually—you’re at home and the TV is blaring. You’re in your bathrobe and slippers and have your favorite snack within arm’s length. You feel like you’re at a National Convention, but you just have your virtual reality goggles on.
Okay, so maybe virtual reality (VR) doesn’t really work like that, but it’s true that virtual reality is taking the journalism industry to new level by giving customers the privilege of being right in the middle of an event or story. It is helping journalists attract an audience towards their stories and is building the credibility of the news.
According to different studies, VR-based experience outperforms simple text-based articles. VR creates a sense of realism and helps generate trust among the target audience. Since humans are visual creatures, experiencing video content in 360 degrees provides a more immersive experience of the story. Giving the audience a sense of being physically present helps them become more invested in the story and increase in empathy.
Why Virtual Reality belongs in journalism
1. Virtual Reality Creates a New Form of Storytelling
According to various publishing houses, virtual reality leaves a lasting impact in the minds of the readers due to its ability to focus on “story living” instead of only storytelling. This is essential in the age of digital media where news reporting companies compete to share a story uniquely. VR technology enables journalists to craft compelling stories and encourages media consumers to be active viewers during the report.
2. VR Adds a Personal touch
Film directors and news companies are using the power of VR to spread awareness about sensitive topics, which are otherwise may be difficult to portray through text. Virtual reality enables directors, news agencies and journalists give the to connect with humans in a profound and personal manner. It’s indirectly making journalism passionate, empathetic and more personal.
3. Improved retention
Today, in the fast-pace of media consumption, viewers often struggle to remember any intricate details from news stories. Due to the increased optic visuals of virtual reality, customers can feel like they “lived” or “experienced” the story, prompting them to recall more details of the story over a prolonged time. Now, news agencies can focus on leaving an emotional impact too, rather than only passing on pieces of information.
Virtual reality in journalism is likely to become more immersive as the influence of 3D technology increases. We believe that virtual reality has the potential to transform the viewing experience from just learning about different events to being in them.
