“Mexico Under Siege” online: model for future projects, editors say

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The Times has redesigned its Web page for the ‘Mexico Under Siege’ series to add new multimedia elements to the archive of about 60 stories. The site now includes interactive maps, an enhanced photo gallery, profiles of key figures and a video Q&A. Managing Editor Davan Maharaj and Executive Editor for Interactive Meredith Artley said in a memo to Times staff that it ‘will be a model for projects we do in the future.’ That memo follows:

A Fine Home For Fine Work:

Take a moment to look at the new online presentation for our series, ‘Mexico Under Siege,’ (www.latimes.com/siege <http://www.latimes.com/siege>). It shows how great storytelling can be uniquely presented on our site.

In case you’ve lost track, this newspaper has written close to 60 stories since June that have focused a spotlight on a horrific shooting war at our doorstep. Tracy Wilkinson, Ken Ellingwood, Richard Marosi, Sam Quinones, Evelyn Larrubia, Richard Serrano, Miguel Bustillo, Don Bartletti, Gina Ferazzi, under the supervision of series editor Geoff Mohan, have compiled a testimony to the brutality and seriousness of drug violence at the border, deep inside Mexico, and on U.S. streets.

Our graphics and web folks took it to the next level. The stories are sortable in new ways; there is an in-depth interactive map, a cast of characters, a photo and video library cross-linked to stories, and a video Q&A done in a style we’ve never tried before. The entire package looks like nothing else we’ve done, and elements of what you see can be used for future projects. Meredith calls it one of the strongest multimedia presentations we’ve ever done.

Dan Gaines, Les Dunseith and Michael Whitley put fine people on the task: Michael McGehee, Tom Lauder, Ben Welsh, Sean Connelley, Stephanie Ferrell, Katy Newton, Megan Garvey, Paul Olund, Deborah Bonello, Doug Smith, Tom Reinken, Raul Ranoa, Lorena Iniguez, Derek Simmons. The list goes on. Melissa McCoy and the copy desk in national, foreign and metro (a.m. desker Henry Fuhrmann in particular) edited the package for both mediums.

We have some major pieces to add in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. And let your colleagues know what you think.