Graham Roberts stands at the forefront of immersive journalism as Director of Immersive Platforms Storytelling at The New York Times. With dual expertise in visual design and spatial computing, he bridges breaking news coverage with experimental presentation formats.
Roberts' work has been recognized with five Emmy nominations and a Pulitzer Prize contribution, establishing him as a leading architect of journalism's digital future.
We've followed Graham Roberts' pioneering work at the intersection of journalism and emerging technologies for over a decade. His career exemplifies how technical innovation can deepen audience engagement with complex stories.
This 2012 multimedia investigation into a deadly avalanche combined parallax scrolling, 3D maps, and embedded video to create a new narrative template. Roberts' team developed custom visualization tools to show snowpack layers and avalanche physics, making complex geological processes accessible. The project received 3.5 million views in its first week and influenced digital storytelling across the industry.
As technical lead for the Times' first VR documentary, Roberts solved key challenges in 360° cinematography for journalistic contexts. The team developed new methods for embedding text annotations in 3D space and created accessibility features for motion-sensitive viewers. Distributed via Google Cardboard, this project demonstrated VR's potential for environmental reporting.
Roberts' AR prototype framework enabled reporters to overlay 3D models of news subjects (from hurricane systems to archaeological finds) into readers' physical environments. His team established design principles for AR annotations that maintain editorial integrity while leveraging spatial computing capabilities.
Roberts frequently bridges journalism with academic research and artistic practice. Successful pitches connect technical innovators with subject matter experts - like his collaboration with glaciologists on the Antarctica VR project. Highlight partnerships that merge domain expertise with novel presentation formats.
With Roberts leading AR integration into NYT's apps, pitches should demonstrate how 3D visualization can enhance understanding of abstract concepts. His team's work on visualizing COVID-19 spread patterns via particle simulations shows the value of dynamic spatial models.
Roberts prioritizes inclusive design, as seen in his development of audio-descriptive VR modes. Pitches addressing barriers to immersive media consumption (like his work on reducing VR motion sickness) receive particular attention.
Projects translating digital information into tactile or environmental experiences align with Roberts' interest in multi-sensory journalism. His experiments with haptic feedback systems for financial data stories exemplify this direction.
With increasing focus on climate impact, Roberts seeks tools reducing the carbon footprint of immersive media production. Pitches addressing energy-efficient rendering or sustainable hardware practices align with his current R&D priorities.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Innovation, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
