This article by Scott Voorhis made me think about new ways that traditional newspapers could leverage new online capabilities like 3D mapping to enhance their content. The article opens with text about Microsoft leasing new office space somewhere in Cambridge. MA. I'm from DC, but I'd like to see where this area is in relation to Logan Airport, downtown, and Fenway park.

"The Redmond, Wash.-based software giant, which has recently acquired a number of local companies, will lease 45,000 square feet of space in One Memorial Drive, a high-rise along the Charles River near MIT, state economic development officials confirmed."

The picture at right is the only one giving an indication of the building or its location.

Using Virtual Earth, one could visualize the entire area beyond a single picture. For example, the following link could be used to deliver a live map that the user can scroll around:

http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.r1t738928x4p_1%2520Memorial%2520Dr%252c%2520Cambridge%252c%2520MA%252002142-1313%252c%2520United%2520States___

Or simply use screenshots with pushpins where the real estate is located, so readers have a geographic context.

This is a top-down satellite image.

This is a unique Bird's Eye view.

And this is the same building, completely modeled in 3D in Virtual Earth that a reader can move around with their mouse to see different perspectives, and even see the view of Boston from any floor!

 The paper could also record a short video clip in Virtual Earth to show an animated view of the area in question.

 
Boston Virtual Real Estate Viewing - Click here for this week’s top video clips

In the age of blogger growth, newspapers have a huge advantage in quality and accuracy of their news articles. But they need to do more than just take a print version and transfer it to the web where multiple forms of media like video, audio, maps and immersive 3D worlds are becoming commonplace.