Page 1 Lin Peng ENC 3351 Deborah Weaver June 3, 2013 John Branch, a sports reporter or The New

York Times, !as a!ar"e" the 2013 Pu#it$er Pri$e or %eature Writing or &his evocative narrative about s'iers 'i##e" in an ava#anche an" the science that e(p#ains such "isasters, a pro)ect enhance" b* its "e t integration o +u#ti+e"ia e#e+ents ,&John Branch-.- in his Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek pub#ication. / ter the ava#anche in %ebruar*, The New York Times ha" a ront0page artic#e about the recent spate o ava#anche "eaths, particu#ar#* a+ong e(pert s'iers ,1he Ne! 2or' 1i+es.3 4o!ever, Joe 5e(ton, sports e"itor, pointe" out the potentia# o rete##ing the stor* in a +ore po!er u# *et narro!er !a* to Branch ,1he Ne! 2or' 1i+es., in hope o "e#ivering various perspectives o the sa+e event3 /s a resu#t, the pub#ication attracte" +an* rea"ers an" vie!ers, +a'ing this stor* ne!s!orth*3 1he 6uestion is !hat +a'es Snow Fall an a!ar"0!inning pub#ication an" !h* is Snow Fall signi icant or ne!s!orth*7 8n this present paper, !e !i## e(p#ore in "epth as to !hat +a'es Snow Fall a ne!s!orth* an" recogni$ab#e stor* to its rea"ers an" vie!ers3 We !i## a#so e(p#ore !hat sets Snow Fall apart ro+ other pub#ications that a#so use the incorporation o +u#ti+e"ia3 What +a'es a stor* ne!s!orth*7 1here are severa# aspects that can +a'e a stor* ne!s!orth*9 ti+e#iness, signi icance, pro(i+it*, pro+inence, hu+an interest, con #ict, an" unusua#ness ,:What ;a'es a 5tor* Ne!s!orth*7:< 8rene, 2010.3 4o!ever, in this paper, !e !i## #oo' at the three +ain aspects that have a##o!e" Snow Fall to gain its recognition ro+ three +i##ion0p#us rea"ers an" vie!ers ,5chu#ten, 2013.3 1hose three aspects are hu+an interest=

Page 2 appea#ing to e+otions, pro+inence=invo#ving !e##0'no!n peop#e such as ath#etes or ce#ebrities, an" unusua#ness=grabbing the +e"ia>s attention !ith so+ething unusua# ,8rene, 2010.3 Peop#e #i'e to rea" about other peop#e, especia##* !hen the stor* is re#atab#e causing an e+otiona# i+pact to the rea"ers3 8n Snow Fall, Branch use" the appea# o pathos to recreate the entire event ro+ start to en"3 B* uti#i$ing !e##0constructe" "iction, #anguage, e(a+p#es, an" i+ages, he !as ab#e to bring a## si(teen characters a#ive !ithin the stor*3 %or ever* character, he provi"e" a "etai#e"0"escription o their bac'groun" an" persona#it*3 %or instance, Chris ?u"o#ph !as a 30 *ear0o#" "irector o +ar'eting at 5tevens Pass3 &?u"o#ph !as the o#"est o three chi#"ren raise" in Ca#i ornia>s Ba* /rea b* out"oors0+in"e" parents3333 ?u"o#ph peppere" his #anguage !ith !or"s #i'e @ra"> an" @sto'e"3- But he !as not si+p#e0+in"e" s'i bu+ ,Branch, 2012.3 1he use o "iction in #ecte" "i erent intonations in the chosen !or"s such as &ra"- an" &sto'e"3- ?ea"ers !ho are a+i#iar !ith the Ca#i ornian )argon are ab#e to re#ate an" in #ect such intonations !hi#e rea"ing3 1hus, rea"ers are ab#e to en"ure a c#ose0'nit o e+otiona# appea# to ?u"o#ph>s persona#it*3 8n a""ition, rea"ers are ab#e to envision ?u"o#ph>s persona#it*, an open0 +in"e", a+bitious, coo#, hipster0#i'e person3 /nother !e##0"escriptive character !as the hea" )u"ge o the %rees'iing Wor#" tour, Ji+ Jac'3 &/t AB, he !as a sort o Pete Pan o the s'i !or#", a charis+atic, care ree bo* !ho never gre! up, be#ove" b* #i'e0+in"e" s'iers an" sno!boar"ers ha# his age ,Branch, 2012.3- Branch !as ab#e to paint a picture o Jac'>s persona#it* b* using a "escriptive #anguage that pinpoints e(act#* !ho Jac' !as, an" even ho! his ace !as #i'e a ter the a##ing acci"ent3 &Cshattering the bones aroun" his right e*e3 2ou cou#" ee# the scre!s !hen *ou touche" his ace,- the use o "iction in this 6uote invo'e" an unp#easant vie! an" ee# o Jac'>s ace, resu#ting in an e ective appea# to rea"ers> e+otions3 Dsing the techni6ue o appea#ing to rea"ers> e+otions, Branch !as a#so ab#e to bring the

Page 3 ava#anche, nature>s subt#est orce, a#ive3 8n part three &Descent Begins,- Branch "escribe" the our "i erent t*pes o natura# orces9 hurricane= oreto#" b* !in" an" #ashing !aves, torna"o= spotte" be ore it stri'es, #ightning=presage" b* b#ac' c#ou"s an" ru+b#ing thun"er, an" ava#anches=triggere" b* their o!n victi+s ,Branch, 2012.3 %o##o!e" b* his "escription o the our natura# orces !as a "irect 6uote ro+ E#*se 5augsta", &8 *ou s!i+ out in the ocean, the ocean>s a#!a*s a#iveC 2ou can ee# it3 But the +ountains ee# #i'e the*>re as#eep3- 8n this short e(a+p#e, pu##e" ro+ the section &Descent Begins,- sho!s ho! po!er u# the use o "iction an" its #anguage is3 ?ea"ers can envision the our natura# orces base" o o Branch>s "escription an" the support o 5augsta">s 6uote3 Pro+inent peop#e such as ath#etes, po#itica# igures, or ce#ebrities o ten "ra! attention base" on their reputations an" pro+inence3 Snow Fall !as ab#e to attract a high #eve# o +e"ia attention because o the pro+inence o the si(teen characters3 1he* !ere a## !e##0'no!n s'iers, sno!boar"ers, an" +e+bers o the organi$ation=Powder Magazine. Participants o the 2012 1unne# Cree' /va#anche inc#u"e" pro essiona# co+petitive s'iers, sno!boar"ers, an" +e+bers o the %rees'iing +e"ia, reporters, an" a photographer ro+ Powder Magazine3 /s a resu#t, the pro+inence o the si(teen characters !as not on#* signi icant to the bac'countr* co++unit*, but a#so the #oca# an" !or#"!i"e s'iing an" sno!boar"ing co++unit*3 1he +ost signi icant aspect that has +a"e Snow Fall ne!s!orth* is the unusua#ness o the structure an" or+at o the pub#ication, itse# 3 1he unusua#ness o the pub#ication>s structure an" or+at ste+s ro+ the uni6ue incorporation o +u#ti+e"ia inc#u"ing vi"eos, photos, an" graphics3 1he use o +u#ti+e"ia is !hat sets Snow Fall apart ro+ other pub#ications or the stan"ar" !or"s0on0page artic#e3 Snow Fall surpasse" the stan"ar"s o a t*pica# New York Times artic#e3 & 8t !as ca##e" @tru#* antastic,> a @beauti u#> integration o vi"eo, photos, an" graphics

Page 4 @that +a'es +u#ti+e"ia ee# nature an" use u#,> the @best "esigne" big Web stor* ever> an" even @the uture o Web stor*te##ing ,5chu#ten, 2013.3- 1he structure o 5no! %a## is set up as a +u#ti0 chapter series o the entire e(perience ro+ 5tevens Pass to 1unne# Cree'3 ?ea"ers !ere natura##* transitione" in an" out o the vi"eos, photos, an" graphics !ithout an* "etour because it !as a## in a consistent, narrative #o!3 1he +u#ti+e"ia in Snow Fall is e+be""e" !ithin the stor* co+pare" !ith the +u#ti+e"ia in a t*pica# New York Times artic#e that have the vi"eos or photos set up on the si"e bar3 Branch an" other co##aborators have sea+#ess#* tie" the entire stor* together !ith te(t an" +u#ti+e"ia, provi"ing a natura# narrative #o!3 1he i+portance o Snow Fall is the #eap it has ta'en ro+ a t*pica# structure to an unusua# structure o a )ourna#istic artic#e3 8n or"er to create a +ore signi icant i+pact on its rea"ers, this particu#ar pub#ication has opene" a ne! "oor to the !or#" o )ourna#is+3 Branch>s Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek ha" brea' through the stan"ar" or+at an" structure o ho! )ourna#istic pub#ications shou#" be3 Snow Fall provi"e" a ne! approach in "esigning an" narrating a t*pica# )ourna#istic report3 Branch has recreate" the stor* using si(teen various perspectives ro+ the characters3 ;ore i+portant#*, he brought the stor* a#ive !ith the use o pathos or hu+an interest, characters> pro+inence, an" +u#ti+e"ia3 /#though, the si(teen characters are on#* pro+inent !ithin the !or#" o s'iing an" sno!boar"ing, the other t!o aspects i##e" in the gap o +a'ing this artic#e ne!s!orth*3 %actoring in the other t!o aspects o hu+an interest an" +u#ti+e"ia, rea"ers outsi"e o the s'iing an" sno!boar"ing co++unit* !ere ab#e to in" out the signi icance an" pro+inence o the characters3 1he aspect o hu+an interest invo'e" rea"ers> e+otions b* using re#atab#e #anguage an" b* pro"ucing po!er u# pictures through !or"s, vi"eos, an" photos3 1he aspect o the incorporation o +u#ti+e"ia connecte" the stor* into one coherent piece, "e#ivering an

Page 5 a!ar"0!inning pub#ication3 /s a resu#t, Snow Fall is a beauti u##* presente" on#ine0stor*te##ing !ith the incorporation o its uni6ue "esign an" its bri##iant narration3

Page 6 Wor's Cite" Branch, John3 :5no! %a##9 1he /va#anche at 1unne# Cree'3: The New York Times3 1he Ne! 2or' 1i+es Co+pan*, 12 Dec3 20123 Web3 3 June 20133 8rene, Lin"a3 :8tEs /## Write3: ts All !rite3 Wor"press, 1F 5ept3 20103 Web3 03 June 20133 :John Branch3: The New York Times3 1he Ne! 2or' 1i+es Co+pan*, 03 June 20133 Web3 03 June 20133 5chu#ten, Gatherine3 :?ea"ing C#ub H @5no! %a##9 1he /va#anche at 1unne# Cree'>3: The "earning Network #eading Clu$ Snow Fall The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek Comments3 1he Ne! 2or' 1i+es Co+pan*, 2 Jan3 20133 Web3 03 June 20133 1he Ne! 2or' 1i+es3 :I3 an" /39 1he /va#anche at 1unne# Cree'3: New York Times 12 21 2012, n3 pag3 Print3 Jhttp9KK!!!3n*ti+es3co+K2012K12K22KsportsK60a0the0ava#anche0at0 tunne#0cree'3ht+#7page!ante"La##MNrL0O3 :What ;a'es a 5tor* Ne!s!orth*7: !hat Makes a Stor% Newsworth%& N3p3, n3"3 Web3 03 June 20133