Exploring Immersive Journalism: Fabric of Digital Life’s Embodied Narratives collection

Immersive journalism employs Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies to allow viewers to engage with news stories as if they were physically present, offering a new dimension to storytelling. However, as we approach the end of 2024, the alignment of immersive journalism with traditional news values and its ethical implications are critical areas of examination. With issues like news avoidance, shrinking newsroom budgets, and the proliferation of unverified social media information, and the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), understanding how immersive technologies can affect truthfulness, transparency, privacy, and audience engagement is more important than ever.

Fabric’s collection, Embodied Narratives: Advocating for Ethical Journalism in Immersive Storytelling, was curated to provide insight into the real-time impact of these technologies on journalistic practices. This collection features digital artifacts from 2012 to 2024, showcasing how VR and AR enhance journalism by providing immersive experiences that communicate, contextualize, and report on news stories in novel ways.

“What if I could present you a story that you remember with your entire body and not just your mind?”
The Future of News? Virtual Reality | Nonny de la Peña | TED Talks, 2015

The term “immersive journalism,” coined by journalist Nonny de la Pena, describes creating news content that allows individuals to experience events from a first-person perspective.

de la Pena’s Hunger in LA (2013) demonstrates VR’s ability to create a deep connection between the audience and the story, offering a visceral understanding of a food bank’s reality. The New York Times magazine’s inaugural VR film, The Displaced, represented a significant milestone, with the Times distributing over a million Google Cardboard sets to subscribers in 2017, marking the beginning of immersive VR experiences in journalism.

While VR requires specialized equipment like head-mounted displays, AR enhances real-world perceptions without such hardware. Both technologies have the potential to make news more engaging but also present challenges. The financial burden of producing immersive content, which includes costly equipment and expertise, could exacerbate disparities between well-funded and under-resourced news organizations, impacting the quality and diversity of immersive journalism available to the public.

Ethical concerns also arise from the potential for misleading representations. Immersive experiences can blur the lines between reality and fiction, making it essential for journalists to maintain accuracy and transparency. The responsibility lies in ensuring that these technologies do not distort the truth or manipulate audience perceptions. Effective use of VR and AR should balance innovative storytelling with the integrity of reporting.

The I Am Rohingya (2017) VR film highlights this shift by immersing viewers in a refugee camp, offering a felt experience of the refugee crisis rather than a traditional report. While this approach can enhance narrative experiences, it also raises ethical questions about what must be done to ensure empathy is balanced with journalistic integrity. To make certain that immersive journalism enriches rather than misleads, context is required, and accuracy must be maintained. How to do this with VR is a crucial discussion.

As immersive journalism evolves, it offers unprecedented opportunities for engagement but also poses significant ethical challenges. Balancing the innovative potential of VR and AR with the principles of accuracy, transparency, and context is essential. By adhering to these standards, immersive journalism can enhance public understanding and foster informed dialogue, ensuring that storytelling remains truthful and impactful in an era where the boundaries between reality and representation are increasingly blurred.

The Embodied Narratives: Advocating for Ethical Journalism in Immersive Experiences collection delves into the intersection of AR and VR technologies within journalism. By examining how these innovations emerge from the convergence of technological advancements, financial investments by media giants, and the efforts of creators, disseminators, and consumers, this collection seeks to reveal the intricate dynamics at play.

This curated collection invites viewers to engage with the ethical complexities inherent in designing immersive experiences. As we confront challenges such as news avoidance, shrinking funding for traditional newsrooms, and the proliferation of unverified information on social media, it becomes evident that redefining accuracy and truth in immersive storytelling is not just necessary but imperative. Through this exploration, we aim to contribute to a more thoughtful discourse on the role of immersive technologies in shaping the future of journalism.

Curator’s Bio
Teresa Goff is a faculty member and program coordinator of the Durham College Journalism – Mass Media program. She is also a member of the Decimal Lab and a graduate student in the Masters of Social Practice and Innovation at Ontario Tech University.

Photo credit: Image by Jerryyaar Designer from Pixabay