Longform Journalism in the USA and Germany: Patterns in Award-Winning Digital Storytelling Productions

Abstract

Digital longform stories, understood as complex journalistic projects rich in text and multimedia elements, represent a unique feature within the field of professional online journalism and are seen as a counter-development to the current trend of quick, bite-size news. On the assumption that the production of such stories differs from daily news production routines, the production processes of this innovative format are analysed. Based on a qualitative content analysis of guided interviews with U.S. and German producers of award-winning digital stories, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and the FAZ, in-depth insights into digital storytelling production are derived. These insights include the different required phases of a longform production, the strategic and narrative objectives the journalists pursue as well as problems they encounter. The results serve as an orientation for how to produce successful digital stories, and thereby function as a bridge between theory and practice.