The Guardian has been a leader in creating informative, dynamic, and useful online interactives—their timeline of IED attacks in Afghanistan being a much-praised example of their innovative work in the field. (See how the IED timeline was done here.)
Today the website launched a new interactive, the “Red-Ometer,” which gauges just how “red” newly elected Labour leader Ed Miliband is on issues including the U.K.’s budget deficit, education, and foreign policy. The meter ranges from “Reds under the bed” to “Positively Blairite,” with “Solidly centre left” in the middle. And each issue reading comes with an explanation.
It’s not all that informative or useful; more of a carnival game really. But it’s a fun supplement to the paper’s deeper reporting for those of political like minds. And it’s another reminder of just how good The Guardian is when it comes to this stuff. Apparently, they’ve got enough resources to devote a team to this kind of sideshow—at this point, it’s almost as if they’re showing off.
How long before this idea is re-purposed for The Daily Caller?
Joel Meares is a former CJR assistant editor.