Finding simplicity in non-standard formats

One of the hardest things I’ve encountered in journalism is simplifying complex government matters. In a recent case, the Syracuse City School District proposed a shuffle of students and staff involving 10 schools – two of which would officially be closed but remain in use temporarily housing students from other schools undergoing renovation. It would be, in effect, a temporary redistricting of the district’s resources.

Explaining the pattern of the proposed changes was important because of how many people it could potentially impact. Thousands of students and hundreds of staff are involved.

While the story was not a blockbuster posting, it did fulfill the public-service component of journalism by clearly explaining a proposal that could potentially impact the state of affairs in Syracuse for years to come.

The entry from January 12, is also an example of how non-standard formatting can be utilized in online journalism to explain or illustrate a complex topic. I believe the guiding principal of presenting journalism online should not necessarily be the AP Standards, but rather the aim for simplicity.