| Cartographic journalism, the field of reporting news with maps, has been an integral part of news media for centuries. In the United States, maps appeared in newsprint as early as the mid-1700s, and over time, opportunities grew for subscribers to interact with news maps in ways beyond reading. Significant forms of map-user interaction including interactive devices and formats---such as map pins and serialized map sets for marking up over time---have played a role in cartographic journalism since at least the end of the 1800s. While physical map pins and the digital image of a pin have different semiological implications in cartographic representations, their use persists. This study reveals that the current media through which spatial representations are delivered have brought new concerns to the forefront for mapmakers when considering their users. After the advent and widespread adoption of the Web, interactive news maps became a bigger part of everyday life, in many forms of media. Today, maps are inextricably linked to the news. Every event that takes place, takes place somewhere, and is in some way influenced by its surrounding landscape. The best way to relay spatial stories is often through the use of a map. By comparing historical trends to a series of eight interviews with modern cartographic journalists, this study aims to reveal the state of the field and address the question "What determines whether or not a news map should be interactive?" Three trends in the field were revealed. First, modern cartographic journalists are often toolmakers who, if a story is important enough, will engineer solutions to logistical production hurdles. Second, modern cartographic journalists must design their maps for display over a huge range of scales, making their work easily consumable on an endless list of devices. Third, if a different visual is better suited to the story, modern cartographers do not always make maps. Finally, based on the consensus of subjects in this study, there are very few examples of stories that absolutely require the implementation of interactivity. Two prominent examples were given: maps that could not exist without personalization or localization. |
