People

ChicagoCrime.org

http://www.chicagocrime.org/

ChicagoCrime.org offers a browsable database of 90-days of crime incidents and locations in the Chicago area. It was created by Adrian Holovaty, editor, editorial innovations, washingtonpost.com. He used Google Maps and data from the Chicago Police Department’s Citizen ICAM. Users can also find which day had the most and fewest crimes, which crimes are most reported and which locations experience the most crime. Also offered are RSS feeds specified for each police beat and city block.

Politico: YOU Report

http://dyn.politico.com/youreport.cfm

Politico, a publication of Capitol News Company LLC, is inviting all its registered users to submit their own political stories, keeping them under 1,000 words. Stories that are accepted for the Politico newspaper and Politico.com will appear on a designated YOU Report page.

techPresident - 10 Questions

http://www.10questions.com/

From the producers of 2007 Knight-Batten Grand Prize winner techPresident.com comes 10 Questions, adding an interactive element to the 2008 presidential debates. Regular citizens submitted questions via YouTube and users voted on the questions and the top 10 were asked to each party at separate debates.

Personal Democracy Forum- techPresident

http://www.techpresident.com/

A non-partisan group blog that examines how the 2008 presidential candidates are using the web. Site includes original reporting on topics including video-blogging, social networking, and tracks candidates’ online videos and number of “friends” on such sites at Facebook and MySpace.

Personal Democracy Forum- techPresident

http://www.techpresident.com/

A non-partisan group blog that examines how the 2008 presidential candidates are using the web. Site includes original reporting on topics including video-blogging, social networking, and tracks candidates’ online videos and number of “friends” on such sites at Facebook and MySpace.

WashingtonPost.com - Congressional Votes Database

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/

Want to know how your senator or congressman is voting on issues? Interested in seeing who skips the most votes? WashingtonPost.com created this database that allows users to browse every vote in the United States Congress since 1991. Users can get a specific congress member’s vote history or see what a previous year’s congress voted on. The database is updated daily and offers RSS feeds on recent votes or by congress member.

The Pew Research Center for The People & The Press - Beyond Red vs. Blue

http://typology.people-press.org/

There is more than just right and left on the political spectrum. Find out where you fit among social conservatives, liberals, conservative democrats, upbeats, disaffecteds and more. The Pew Research Center put together this set of 25 questions about where you stand on key political issues to tell you which of nine political typology groups you fit into. See the descriptions and demographics for your typology and others, on what issues they differ most from the general population and how each voted in the 2004 election.

WashingtonPost.com - Spheres of Influence

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/pioneers/pioneers_spheres.html

Who helped the President get elected, and how have they benefited from that support? The Post used Flash to tie together a database of George W. Bush’s biggest 2000 campaign donors with a graphical map of how those donors connect to Bush and one another. Clicking on any person or group on the map brings up their background information, including the amount they donated and what political appointments they received after Bush took office.

Bakersfield.com - Interactive Maps

http://www.bakersfield.com/maps/

Bakersfield.com’s interactive maps initiative includes staff produced maps and collaborative maps in which citizens get involved in the process. Readers can add data, photos or video which are embedded in the maps. Among the offerings are maps of cameras shooting red-light violators, maps of potholes, local graffiti, night-life hot spots and local quirks such as the oldest elevator in town.

Washingtonpost.com - onBeing

http://washingtonpost.com/onbeing/

The Washington Post created this project on the notion that its readers “should get to know one another a little better.” A series of interviews introduces people in the community through musings, passions, histories and quirky characteristics. New videos are posted every Wednesday

Investigating the Gap - Long Island Rail Road

http://www.newsday.com/gap

Newsday.com investigated and produced this multimedia package unveiling the dangers of the Long Island Rail Road gap. View a timeline of accident reports from different stations and hear stories from the victims. Take a look at how the gaps are created and check the gap size at your station.

Chicago Tribune - The Mercury Menace

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/broadband/chi-mercury-htmlstory,0,3799369.htmlstory

After the Tribune’s testing showed that seafood for sale in Chicago area stores was tainted by mercury, it created this interactive package to explain the problem and the potential risks. After a video introduction explaining the potential dangers, users can read a three part series on the issue, take a survey on their seafood eating habits, post their thoughts, and use the Tribune Fish Mercury Calculator to see how much fish they can eat safely.

The New York Times - How Class Works

http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/national/20050515_CLASS_GRAPHIC/index_03.html

As part of its Class Matters series, The New York Times created an interactive graphic detailing socioeconomic class in America. Included is a demonstration of how class is related to occupational prestige, education level, yearly income and wealth. A 3-D graph shows where the population stands economically based on occupation and education level. An interactive table depicts the economic movement of families from 1988 to 1998. Also included are the results of a nationwide poll on how Americans view class.

LJWorld.com - In Cold Blood: A Legacy

http://www.ljworld.com/specials/incoldblood/

For the 45th anniversary of Truman Capote’s “nonfiction novel” about murders in rural Holcomb, Kansas, student reporters from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln examined the murder case, the book and their long-term effects on the people involved. LJWorld.com supplements the students’ articles and interviews with a timeline, photos, a five-part video documentary, maps and an archive of the Lawrence Journal-World’s coverage of the murders.

LJWorld.com - The Murray Trial

http://www.ljworld.com/specials/murray_trial/

Readers become jurors in LJWorld.com’s site on a Kansas State professor’s trial for the murder of his wife. A complete archive of articles and photos trace the case from the pre-trial hearing to the defendant’s conviction. Courtroom video lets readers watch the prosecution and defense make their cases. Readers can also weigh the evidence themselves with crime scene diagrams, court documents and the defendant’s video statement to police.

KQED and PBS - Presumed Guilty: Tales of the Public Defender

http://www.pbs.org/kqed/presumedguilty/2.1.0_flash.html

This crime investigation series from PBS and KQED’s “Presumed Guilty: Tales of the Public Defender” tells stories “culled from the defendants’ own words, information given to the public defender, and court records of the case(s).” Click through the timelines to read summaries of events, see pictures, and draw your own conclusions about the guilt of various defendants. Discussion boards, feedback, and links to the rights of the accused can be found on this site.

JournalNow.com - Murder, Race and Justice: The State vs. Darryl Hunt

http://darrylhunt.journalnow.com/

The Winston-Salem Journal used multiple interactions in this 8-part series on a highly contested case that “helped define Winston-Salem’s race relations.” The series tells the story of Darryl Hunt, a black man who was charged at 19 with the rape and murder of 25-year-old Deborah Sykes, an employee at The Sentinel. The Journal brings the story to life through the use of 360-degree photography, clickable maps, videos, quizzes, interactive graphics, timelines, video clips and more.

360Degrees.org

http://www.360degrees.org/

Interactive production company Picture Projects created this site to “challenge your perceptions about who is in prison today and why.” The site tells criminal justice stories from a variety of perspectives—the victim, the convict, the lawyer, etc.—using panoramic photos, voice clips, and links to related information. Other features like a criminal justice theory quiz, message boards, and a comprehensive criminal justice timeline complete the package.

The Spokesman-Review's Conflict in Iraq

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/iraq/database/casualties_search.asp

“Conflict in Iraq” pays tribute to American soldiers stationed in Iraq. Photographs, stories and biographical profiles highlight soldiers, as well as everyday life in Iraq. A casualty database is searchable by name, date of death, service branch, and location of the incident. A news blog updates Iraqi developments.

Washingtonpost.com's Faces of the Fallen

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/iraq/casualties/facesofthefallen.htm

“Faces of the Fallen” allows users to locate American soldiers who died in Iraq. Users can search by death date, military branch, or photograph. A summary about each soldier includes their name, age, rank, home town, as well as where they died and the events surrounding their death.

A Chilling Effect? Alaska's Heartland Reacts to the Patriot Act

http://www.uaf.edu/journal/extreme/Patriot/flash.html

Journalism students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks put together this multimedia presentation about how Fairbanks residents feel about the USA Patriot Act and the continuing war on terror. Ten Fairbanks residents air their views through audio interviews, which are accompanied by short text articles, photos, and a flash introduction. The presentation also provides links to text of the act itself and related links to other sites on the subject.

Topeka (KS.) Capital-Journal City Council Survivor Game

http://www.cjonline.com/webindepth/survivor/multimedia/survivor_mov.shtml

Confronted with reporting on an unruly City Council, the Capital-Journal asked, “What if the Topeka City Council members were on the TV show ‘Survivor’...?” Those interested could go online and call Council members to account for their behavior by “voting” them off.
>Watch the promo for the game—in true Survivor style. (A QuickTime Movie)

Lawrence.com: Outstanding Efforts

http://www.ljworld.com/game/outstanding/

Lawrence.com spotlights local youth baseball players with interactive, Flash-based “baseball cards.” Each card includes photos, vital stats and short biographies; some also feature audio interviews with the players. Community members can send in nominations for future featured players through an online form.

The Palm Beach Post - Partners in Bronze

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/news/video/picsofyear2004/montoya_main.html

This Flash-based feature is a photographic portrait of sculptors Luis Montoya and Leslie Ortiz, and an account of their creation of “The Arc,” a massive bronze sculpture in the shape of a watermelon. Audio interviews with the artists trace their life story, supplemented by family photos, while the sounds of their studio add atmosphere to step-by-step photos of the sculpture’s creation.

The Ottawa Citizen - Tracks to Freedom

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/features/freedom/index.html

The Ottawa Citizen had reporter Chris Lackner retrace a path on the Underground Railroad on an adventure that took 93 days. A photographer recorded the journey and Lackner reported in a blog. The Web site also has an interactive journey that lets the user make decisions and experience the trip of escaping from the south to Canada.

The Chicago Tribune - From Here to Excellence

http://www.chicagotribune.com/edfund

The Chicago Tribune takes an in-depth look at the Illinois public education system in this multi-part series that grew into a multimedia, participatory online presentation. The Tribune attacks the issue of how to revamp the system to help Illinois students compete in a global economy. With focus on specific targets, the series used extensive database research and interactive opportunities for the public to become involved in the debate.

KQED (San Francisco) -You Decide

http://www.kqed.org/topics/news/perspectives/youdecide/

KQED’s “You Decide” invites users to become part of a debate through a critical exploration of social issues. How do you feel about Medicare? Same-sex marriage? Prayer in schools? “You Decide” asks the question then offers counter arguments to your response. See article.

FinancialAidLetter.com - Letter Decoder

http://www.financialaidletter.com/

A former U.S News reporter developed this site as a Kiplinger fellow; it’s dedicated to helping students and parents decode and understand the jargon and consequences of applying for and receiving college financial aid. Using database analysis and user interaction, the site demonstrates the journalist’s best use of technology.

Minnesota Public Radio - Medical Matchmaker

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2006/01/13_haega_matchmaker/

As part of its Prescription for Change series on emplyee health care, MPR offers this interactive tool that generates 12 pairs of fictional health insurance plans and asks users to choose a favorite from each pair. Based on those decisions, it shows what features—such as monthly premium, provider choice and deductible—are most important to the user in choosing a health plan, then tells what existing plan is the best fit.

Las Vegas Sun: Prescription Narcotic Interactive

http://www.lasvegassun.com/multimedia/rx_interactive/

Using the reports from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Diversion Control and annual population estimates from the US Census, Todd Soligo and Alex Richards of the Sun were able to determine which states were using more and how they compared to others. Statistics on Hydocodone, Oxycodone, Methadone, Morphine, Codeine, Fentanyl and Meperidine use are displayed in a drop-down menu. Users can click and drag the bar at the top to explore prescription drug use over the last decade and also roll over the different states to see the dose breakdown and also the percent change in milligrams per person since 1997.

Immigration Explorer

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310-immigration-explorer.html?ref=us

The New York Times

An interactive map showing immigration patterns to the United States by country and continent since 1880.

Oregon Historical Society Timeweb

http://www.ohs.org/education/oregonhistory/timeweb/

An interactive application that allows users to create their own timeline based on historical documents in a database.

The Los Angeles Times - President Barack Obama's First 100 Days

http://projects.latimes.com/obama-100-days/#/index/

The Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times reporters asked commuters what they expected from the new president a week before the 2008 election, and then again after Obama’s first 100 days and posted video of their responses.

Iran’s Presidential Election Fallout

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2009/jun/10/iran-elections-government

The Guardian

An interactive graphic with an in-depth look into the background for Iran’s 2009 presidential election.

Mexico Under Siege: The drug war at our doorstep

http://projects.latimes.com/mexico-drug-war/#/its-a-war

The Los Angeles Times

An interactive map, multimedia project, and Los Angeles Times aggregator for news about Mexico’s drug war.

How Much Stimulus Funding is Going to Your County?

http://projects.propublica.org/recovery/

“Want to know what’s going on with the stimulus in your area? ProPublica has compiled nearly all the contracts, grants and loans that the government has reported awarding so far in the stimulus program. Type in your county or click on your state to find projects in your area.”

Stimulus: How Fast We’re Spending $792 Billion

http://projects.propublica.org/tables/stimulus-spending-progress

“The success of the federal stimulus program may hinge on the speed with which the government is able to distribute the billions authorized by Congress. Unlike some other estimates of the cost of the stimulus, which are based on spending projections, we took our numbers from the actual budget authority issued by Congress—$792 billion and change.”

Darfur is Dying

http://www.darfurisdying.com/

In the face of the humanitarian crisis in the Sudan, mtvU partnered with the Reebok Human Rights Foundation and the International Crisis Group. The three companies began a contest to “...[Bring] together student technology and activism to help stop the genocide in Darfur.” The winner is “Darfur is Dying a narrative-based simulation to raise awareness of the daily lives of the Darfurian refugees in the Sudan. The “game” is a thoroughly depressing, eye-opening “game.” Players begin by selecting a character to walk through a sparse desert for a single jug of water while avoiding the patrols of Janjaweed militia. If successful, the next level focuses on keeping your refugee camp healthy amid attacks, food and water shortages. The site offers links to help with the crisis throughout the game and links to various groups, government contacts, and assistance funds.

Light up New York City's electric grid by deciding how the city should conserve or produce energy.

http://www.gothamgazette.com/games/switch/games/index.php?game=switch

Gotham Gazette, Published by Citizens Union Foundation (New York, NY)

If New Yorkers continue to use electricity at the current rate, they’ll need a total of 72 million megawatt hours annually by 2030. They used about 50 million megawatt hours in 2005. With such a large gap to close the Gotham Gazette highlights the choices that need to be made: Should NYC ramp up generation? Take drastic measures to use less? Or both? Play Switch and you decide.
Switch is a matching game, like Concentration or Memory. Click on any square in the grid to turn your first card over. Then find its match. Once you find a matching pair, you get to see what that measure would do. Then you decide whether it’s right or wrong for New York City. When you’re done, “flip the switch” to see whether your slate of choices can meet the growing demand.

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