The options here are limitless and essential. Maps in the news allow us to relate whatever is going on, world wide, to us. They let us know where this stuff is located in our world. The obvious example of where maps are utilized most in news reports is the weather. We all watch it no matter how right or wrong it is. The maps weather reports use vary from satellite images to radar images and temperature maps. I have also noticed locally reporters and their maps becoming more high tech in the approach. One example of this would be the three dimensional maps that shift and rotate and allow the reporter to essentially fly over a region and take the viewers to a specific location.
Weather though is only one small piece of maps utilized for reporting. Virtually all news, especially international news uses maps to report events. Take for instance the current situation in the middle east. For me, personally, the maps of Iraq and Afghanistan give me a spatial reference. Without them, my familiarity of this region is limited as I would guess it is for most Americans, even my fellow geography students. Another example of maps in the news are those utilized for daily traffic reports. They give pinpoint accuracy as to where trouble spots on the road are. This applies to accidents and other road hazards, slow downs, or adverse driving condition often related to the weather. I saw one of these this morning before I left for work, actually two of them. One showed accidents and traffic in Reno and the other that was shown gave information regarding tire chain requirements on area roads and closures. All of which are extremely important to anyone traveling those routes and needing to safely reach a destination. The bottom line is that the maps we see in the news give us a spatial clue. Without them the news would be not meaningless, but much less personal.
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