Reese Reads

Insightful articles and creative examples of storytelling from around the Web, curated by the Reese News Lab staff.

  • Is Apple Opening Up?

    Apple CEO Tim Cook talks about APIs, acquisitions and TV on the D: All Things Digital stage.

  • The Rise of Hacker Journalism

    The changing newsroom isn't just about different skills. It's about changing a process and culture.

  • The New York Times mobile

    The New York Times has a new mobile website that resembles its app in layout and design. The site has also been simplified: there's no weather or stock index, and the search bar is cleaner.

  • Brands going mobile

    Digiday interviewed business leaders about their efforts to integrate mobile. According to a MasterCard executive, brands should focus on delivering the best overall experience before they strive for the best experience in mobile.

  • Curating the news

    Newsana is a news aggregator that lets members curate stories by voting. What makes it unique? Members can only participate actively in five topic areas, so curators are likely to have a knowledge of the stories they vote on.

  • The path of digital news

    "From a CMS to Twitter to Facebook to aggregator to analytics to Twitter to email then back to the CMS -- and, the whole time, penetrating, delighting, merging with the minds of readers and writers."

  • Breaking news on Buzzfeed

    Breaking news can be messy. "Ordering it, prioritizing it, deciding what to emphasize and what to underplay -- is part of what it means to be a news organization." Now, Buzzfeed wants to use its social media expertise to perfect the process.

  • Complex story? Make a chart

    Hilary Sargent runs ChartGirl, a website that breaks down complicated stories into circles, arrows and boxes. It's also funny: "A tiny dose of wit can open readers to arguments and presentations they might not otherwise endure."

  • Making a Pulitzer winner

    Snow Fall, a multimedia feature story about an avalanche, "was an editing project that required us to weave things together so that text, video, photography and graphics could all be consumed in a way that was similar to reading."

  • Design a simpler product

    David Lieb created Bump, the app that lets people share information by bumping their phones together. According to him, the best products can be easily understood and immediately used by the old, the young... and even the drunk.

  • What is sensor journalism?

    Are poor neighborhoods louder than rich neighborhoods? How hot are the most polluted cities, on average? Sensor journalism, which uses devices to automatically record data, has the potential to answer these types of broad, research-based questions.

  • More devices, more value

    A new BCG study found that consumers with more than one mobile device value the media more. To capitalize, companies should create synced experiences that allow users to move seamlessly from one device to another.

  • Startups go mobile

    Eliza Kern writes: "We’ll increasingly see mobile-specific approaches from startups like Instagram, which was able to scale successfully by creating a simple, fast photo experience for mobile users in a hurry."

  • Guardian Witness

    The Guardian has launched a digital platform that invites readers to submit videos, photos and stories. Guardian Witness also includes an assignments section, tutorials and a mobile app.

  • How to cover an attack

    In the aftermath of the explosions at the Boston Marathon, Poynter offers tips for journalists: State what you don't know. Make your coverage serve a purpose. Choose words carefully, especially when describing suspects or injuries.