Infographics in journalism - An inevitable trend

Traditional newspapers are accustomed to conveying information in the form of text accompanied by illustrations. In the context of readers having less time and skimming information has become a trend, information graphics have emerged as an optimal solution to attract, retain readers and convey information effectively.

Infographic on Long An Electronic Newspaper

“Storytelling” with infographics

In modern journalism, a journalistic work has many ways to convey information, in addition to text, images, videos , audio, there are also graphics. In many cases, “telling stories” with video or graphics is more attractive and effective than a traditional journalistic work with only text and images.

“Infographics are a combination of concise text, illustrations, charts, diagrams, etc. with vivid, eye-catching and easy-to-understand colors. Infographics in journalism not only present data but also have the ability to “tell stories” logically, helping readers easily grasp information” - Deputy Head of the Department of Electronic Newspaper - Digital Content (Long An Newspaper and Radio and Television Station) - Nguyen Dang Chau said.

Infographics can stand alone as a replacement for a long article but still ensure to provide enough information for readers. Infographics are also used to illustrate articles, making the press work easier to understand and the presentation more attractive. A beautifully designed, creative infographic can help readers receive information quickly. Infographics are used in both print, electronic and television. In particular, infographics are used a lot in electronic newspapers as an effective and necessary way to convey information.

The explosion of information along with the development of social networks is a favorable opportunity for the press to share information in a concise, attractive and accurate manner. This helps to expand the reach of readers and enhance the propaganda effectiveness of press agencies. Thanks to its vividness and ease of understanding, infographics help readers from students to workers and the elderly to access and grasp information.

Perhaps many readers still remember that during the Covid-19 pandemic, many newspapers used infographics about the number of infections, the number of deaths, disease prevention measures, vaccination process, etc. Thereby, readers can easily access information quickly, accurately and effectively rather than sitting for hours listening to and reading simple reports and articles.

Infographics in modern journalism

According to Mr. Huynh Manh Khang, graphics are not only about presenting data beautifully but also turning information into a story.

The trend of readers switching to digital platforms is taking place strongly and information graphics have become a "weapon" to increase the attractiveness of journalistic works. Currently, in many journalistic works, especially investigative stories, articles with a lot of data, ... synthetic information graphics are used more. Some large press agencies also build data pages or cooperate with design teams to produce in-depth information graphics.

Long An Newspaper and Radio and Television Station have recently designed many information graphics on the results of implementing resolutions, directives, plans, etc. of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee according to quarterly, annual, half-term, or full-term periods. In addition, provincial events such as Workers' Month, Action Month for Children, Traffic Safety Month, etc. have also been "visualized" through graphics, contributing to improving the effectiveness of propaganda work of press agencies.

Mr. Huynh Manh Khang - graphic design technician (Long An Newspaper and Radio and Television Station), shared: “Creating a high-quality infographic takes a lot of time and effort. Infographics not only present data but also turn information into a story, making it easy for readers to understand and remember. When assigned to design an infographic, I first have to see what genre the infographic belongs to in order to visualize the logical layout of the design.”

Data analysis, filtering, processing, and synthesizing information are important steps in the graphic design process. “The designer must grasp the information to be conveyed in order to choose the appropriate form of expression, avoiding the situation of only focusing on beautifying the form while forgetting the accuracy of the information. Next is the stage of collecting and designing static and dynamic images depending on the content. During the design process, I always pay special attention to the font, size, and color elements that are suitable for the objects shown on the graphic product,” Mr. Khang added.

Recently, the technical team of Long An Newspaper and Radio and Television Station has created many beautiful and attractive information graphic products, meeting the tastes of readers.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thuy Quynh - graphic design technician (Long An Newspaper and Radio and Television Station), designing information graphics in journalism is like "telling a story" with images, drawings, symbols, charts, diagrams, etc. Graphic designers not only know how to use software and have visual thinking, but also have a journalistic mindset to design beautiful, attractive products that meet the needs of readers.

In the flow of digital transformation in journalism, information graphics are an inevitable trend, helping journalists not only tell stories better but also evoke more emotions, touching the hearts of readers. Therefore, journalists must not only be good writers but also know how to process and analyze data and have a "visualization" and "visualization" mindset./.

Hong Chau

Source: https://baolongan.vn/do-hoa-thong-tin-trong-bao-chi-xu-the-tat-yeu-a197350.html