RJI Futures Lab #190: Animated GIFs for News

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the creation of the GIF file format. Although GIFs are often used in a lighthearted way, Public Radio International’s global affairs program “The World” uses looping GIF animations as conversation starters to help tell serious news stories. Steven Davy, multimedia editor at “The World,” tells us how they do it.

Reporting by Sarah Sabatke, Rachel Wise and Jessica King.

• These mosquitoes could be a weapon against Zika
• Her resort is a refuge from more than just stress

You’ll find more examples from “The World” on PRI’s Giphy page.

Rachel Wise is an editor at the Futures Lab at the Reynolds Journalism Institute and co-producer of the weekly Futures Lab video update.

The Reynolds Journalism Institute’s Futures Lab video update features a roundup of fresh ideas, techniques and developments to help spark innovation and change in newsrooms across all media platforms. Visit the RJI website for the full archive of Futures Lab videos, or download the iPad app to watch the show wherever you go. You can also sign up to receive email notification of each new episode.