Wildfire Maps on Google

The USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review article, “Newsrooms use Google Maps to improve wildfire coverage," discusses the effectiveness of using interactive maps to show locations and details of wildfires in Southern California. While online, these maps are easily accessible to news sources and the general public alike, and take little skill to create and share. Fire maps are prime examples of convergent journalism, as are our google maps, because different media outlets are blended to provide information. The information was obtained via interview or by reading a form of print media, edited and illustrated using an interactive map, and then posted for the public on an online blog. The maps provide visual stimulation as well as critical information with some simple pointing and clicking.

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