It’s not news to anyone that more and more news is being consumed online. Yes, people still read the newspaper and watch television and listen to the radio, but the Internet and social media are becoming the popular choice for consuming news.

So, we know this, but how are we capitalizing on it? And are we doing it often enough?

I would argue journalists can always do more with web content. More videos, more social media interaction, more interactives, the list goes on and on.

Here are some successful web content elements I have created.

1. Live streaming. The Oprah interview with Lance Armstrong is a perfect example of this. While the interview was live on television, it was simultaneously streaming live on the web. You can do this with court events, press conferences and more and you don’t have to interrupt any programs on TV.

2. Web interactives. Data is great but can be overwhelming and dull at times. Web interactives can make the data easy to understand andeasier to sift through for your audience.

3. Web extras. Have an incredible interview but can’t include it all in the piece? Why not add it to the web? Or behind-the-scenes videos or explanations of how the story came a part are always great too.

4. Live blogging. Live tweeting. Sometime your audience cannot always be watching or listening live to meeting, press conference or court event. So, why not live blog the event or live tweet it with hashtags? It can help you gain followers and it helps share information as it happens.

5. Photo slideshows. People love photos. From people to animals to scene photos, people will look and they will click on them. They are a great way to generate clicks and hits for your website.

I think all of these are worth trying and once you try them I bet you will keep doing them and see results.

Lynn Walsh in the Investigative Producer for WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida. She is the Chair for the SPJ Generation J Committee and also sits on the Board for the SPJ South Florida Chapter. Connect with her on Twitter, @LWalsh or send her an e-mail: Lynn.K.Walsh@gmail.com.

By: Mike Brannen

Storytelling may be a lost art in local TV. While there is a sporadic collection of stations determined to keep that art of reporting alive, most seem content to present simply the meat and potatoes of a story, rather than treat it as a full course dinner. The stations branding themselves as storytellers typically allow their on-air talent to take credit for humanizing subjects and making each report memorable. KARE’s Boyd Huppert, KGO’s Wayne Freedman, and KOMU’s Sarah Hill are masters of this craft, perfectly weaving words, pictures, and sounds seamlessly. Most of their work tells the stories of people in our communities. They remove themselves objectively from the dramatic, emotional, and comedic tales that make life interesting. But a photographer in New York last week took storytelling in a new direction.

WKTV’s Tim Fisher has been gaining attention virally this month. Fisher was sent out to cover a deadly house fire in Utica, NY. A family cried out, saying firefighters weren’t doing enough to save three people inside. One member outside of the house came at Fisher in a display of anger and fear. Firefighters fell to the ground, choking on the thick smoke. Fisher packaged the basic details for the 5 and 6 p.m. broadcasts as he would any other deadly fire.

Then, he took it even further, producing a 7-minute story narrative of what happened that day for the station’s web site. He provided more context for the man who aggressively pushed him. He took more time to show how beaten and embattled were the firefighters. He used words, pictures, sounds, AND PERSPECTIVE to tell the story. The viewer had a new angle to what in most cases would appear a routine house fire.

Most importantly, the story’s details dictated how long the piece should run. It’s refreshing, it’s different, and it’s unique.

Adding “perspective” to a story may sound like adding subjectivity to a story. I think in some cases it is okay, because in all storytelling accounts, subjectivity exists. As humans, we add flavor to a story based on how we tell it. We highlight details we find more important or interesting. Journalism requires objectivity when necessary information needs to be distilled. Objectivity exists as a means of remaining ethical when addressing tenuous topics.

I’m curious how it would look if stations explored adding more perspective like Fisher’s. I envision it wouldn’t go over well with some. Not everyone wants a “full course dinner.” Sometimes they prefer just the meat and potatoes of a story. I’ll take the former every once in a while, just to try something a little different.

There’s one more thing to take away from Fisher’s work. After garnering a huge response online in the early evening, WKTV chose to air the 7-minute piece in its entirety in its 11 p.m. newscast. It’s a brilliant move that seems like an obvious decision…on the surface. In reality, stations often forget they have fascinating web content that people might want to see on TV. Rarely does a project of this length originating on the web appear uncut for air. The fact that this piece was an exception to the rule speaks volumes about the excellent quality of Fisher’s anecdote.

Mike Brannen is a morning newscast producer for KIRO7, the CBS affiliate in Seattle. He recently received a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and completed his thesis, Motivational Use of Twitter. He previously worked multiple positions at KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri during the past four years.