ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Immersion journalism

Hello there! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to jump headfirst into a new world and experience it for yourself? That's what immersion journalism is all about.

Imagine you want to write a story about what it's like to be homeless. Instead of just interviewing some homeless people and writing about it, you decide to go out and live on the streets yourself for a few days or even weeks. You dress like a homeless person, sleep on the streets, and eat from soup kitchens or whatever you can find. This way, you can give your readers a much more authentic and personal experience of what it's like to be homeless.

Immersion journalism is all about going beyond just sitting at a desk, making phone calls, and looking things up on the internet. Instead, you dive into a world, immerse yourself in it fully, and experience it for yourself.

It's not just limited to experiencing things like being homeless or living in a different culture. You can also immerse yourself in people's lives, like following someone around as they go about their day, experiencing their emotions, and seeing things through their eyes.

However, it's important to remember that immersion journalism can be dangerous and potentially harmful. It's important to take care of yourself and not put yourself in dangerous situations. It's also important to remember that just because you've lived an experience doesn't mean you fully understand it. Always approach other people's experiences with empathy and respect.

So, that's immersion journalism in a nutshell! It's all about diving into a new world and experiencing it for yourself to give readers a more authentic and personal view of a story.
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