Search This Blog

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Webcomics: A Valuable Source of Information for the News Media

When cartoonist Randall Munroe of the popular webcomic XKCD.Com designed a Radiation Dose Chart explaining radiation exposure and how it affects the body, he did it as a public service. "I’m not an expert in radiation and I’m sure I’ve got a lot of mistakes in here," he wrote on his blag, "but there’s so much wild misinformation out there that I figured a broad comparison of different types of dosages might be good anyway."

The chart soon appeared in major media outlets such Al-Jazeera English, The Guardian, and the New York Times, proving that the media will consider any sources that will enhance their coverage. The chart's proven so popular that Munroe is currently translating it into Japanese for the Tokyo media.

Personally, it's the first time I've ever seen a major news outlet use a bananaphone to explain current events.

No comments:

Post a Comment