Adding context to broadcast programming
VICE News Tonight publishes original reporting with an on-the-ground perspective of breaking news, from the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia this past August to more recent events like post-hurricane Puerto Rico and the Catalan vote for independence. The show features several stories per episode with a fast-moving narrative. VICE uses our tools to quickly create custom maps as the news breaks, providing viewers with more context on what’s happening and where. We grabbed a couple recent examples to show how maps are supporting their broadcast programming.
In The People Who Rule the Word’s Smallest Countries episode, VICE covers the leaders of “micronations” as they organize for a summit in Dunwoody, Georgia. Micronations are self-declared, sovereign states not formally recognized by any official authority, which is why you may not recognize all of the flags on the map below. If you do, then props.
VICE is using a custom map style with clear borders and icons to highlight these obscure “nations” like Molossia, Slobovia, The Aerican Empire, and of course, Queen Anastasia von Elphberg’s Ruritania. The map is customized to VICE’s signature white-on-black aesthetic, subtly blending the brand into the story. In just a few frames, viewers can see that micronations are a global trend with a surprisingly high concentration in Europe; they may also notice that some of these fringe movements are closer to home than expected.
This custom map style makes a second appearance in Puerto Rico Night Watch & Catalan Votes during a segment covering the vote for Catalonian independence. The stark borders and highlighted polygon in the map below quickly provide a sense of location and scale — Catalonia, for example, is roughly the size of several Eastern European countries, so you immediately see that the independence movement impacts a significant territory of Spain.
With a plan tailored to their needs, VICE has the resources to keep pace with the news cycle and develop custom maps for broadcast. Want to tell stories with maps? Contact our sales team to learn about Enterprise licensing for film and television projects.
Maps on VICE News Tonight was originally published in Points of interest on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.