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Google launches Media Tools for journalists

On Monday Google launched a new site that gathers together and explains each of the tools it provides for journalists. Media Tools is a sleek one-stop-shop for news reporters, acting as a go-to site for writers looking for information on stories and ways of presenting them.

by WAN-IFRA Staff executivenews@wan-ifra.org | October 17, 2013

This centralised hub is marketed as “a starting point to tap into Google’s suite of digital tools that can enhance newsgathering and exposure” across different media outlets. The website is designed as a “guide” to help journalists navigate Google’s media resources.

The site’s sleek layout is reminiscent of various multimedia news platforms developing at the moment, with a large strip of shifting images at the top of the page promoting different tools, and highlighting how they are used by others. There is an emphasis on global outreach, users of the site are reminded for example that “Media outlets around the world including Svenska Dabgladet and the Guardian use maps to engage readers and tell an interactive story,” and that YouTube can be used to reach a global audience as well.

The listed resources are separated into six categories: “Gather and organise,” “Engage,” “Visualise,” “Publish”, “Develop” and “Additional Resources,” and within each category there are links to individual tools, each accompanied by an outline of the tool’s usefulness and usability.

There are also links to help with other Google sites such as Hangouts on Air and Google Analytics. Media Tools aids users whilst simultaneously promoting the various devices that Google has to offer. This centralised platform reiterates the general digital media trends; a focus on global communication and interactive reporting.

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