“Virtual reality is expanding as a medium and becoming increasingly accessible to news consumers on a wide array of storytelling platforms, but no established set of standards and ethics around applying journalism in VR environments currently exists,” Frontline executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath said in a statement. “With this generous support from Knight, Frontline is committing to exploring and creating VR through the lens of journalism, and to leading the way in setting frameworks for journalistic standards in this space.”
Frontline has more than dipped its toes into the VR waters already, and it’s offered up its experiences for anyone interested. Last month the Tow Center released a report detailing challenges and lessons learned from Frontline’s first VR documentary, “Ebola Outbreak: A Virtual Journey.” The report detailed difficulties around choosing hardware as well as figuring out the best filmmaking techniques to use; you can read it in full here.
