VR journalism is in my future right now

There is nothing virtual about it — VR is the next frontier in journalism. It’s here, now, and I’m embracing it.

It’s not the first disruption in media I’ve faced head on.

When I landed my first job at a professional newspaper, the industry was moving from a “cut-and-paste,” jigsaw puzzle design method to a digital production process called pagination. As a recent college grad, I was ecstatic to be among the first to test this technology in a pro newsroom. Besides, I’d never learned the old paper-and-pencil layout method in college — and I was surprised that it still existed in the real world.

As more and more “pagination terminals” were placed in the newsroom, I’d find my way over to them between deadlines to get more training and practice.  I noticed my mostly middle age colleagues did not follow suit. Pagination was an unwelcome new resident to most of them, and many refused to learn it. That left more work — an opportunity — for me.

That’s the way I view change, as a chance to expand my knowledge and, perhaps, help lead our industry into the future.

Virtual-reality journalism is the future, and it’s here.

The New York Times already takes its audience into this world with daily VR stories that give users an immersive experience. The Associated Press recently shared its discoveries after spending a year testing VR content for its audiences.  And though the challenges of awkward head gear and eyewear (that make some users nauseous) haven’t been fully overcome yet, the audience wants more. And potential audience members in the coveted younger demographic use it anyway in gaming apps. They’re already over the hump, and we journalists must get over it also.

Or better yet, get into it. Let’s immerse ourselves in this dynamic new way of storytelling. Because it’s here, now. So let’s embrace it.