We are excited to announce a major update to everviz Location Maps. You can now import GeoJSON, TopoJSON, KML, KMZ, and GPX files directly into your animated maps.
This means you can bring real-world data into everviz and turn it into interactive visual stories, including animated maps that bring movement and change to life, without coding, a complex setup or specialized GIS tools.
Why this matters
Data is more than numbers. It is movement, events and stories happening in real places. Until now, creating interactive maps with routes, boundaries and location-specific data often required technical expertise and time-consuming workflows.
Example 1: Visualize Flight Route
Fictional Storyline:
A regional flight from Bergen to Ålesund reports a technical problem with its landing gear. Media outlets and aviation enthusiasts are closely following the situation.
Data angle:
- Upload a GeoJSON file representing the flight path (Bergen Flesland Airport → Ålesund Vigra Airport).
- Add Point markers for departure, possible holding patterns, and destination.
- Overlay annotations like “Landing gear reported stuck here” or “Plane circling before approach.”
Newsroom value:
- Demonstrates aviation storytelling, which is highly relatable in news.
- Clear, simple markers and routes highlight the unfolding drama.
- Shows how fictional but realistic flight-tracking data could be visualized as animated maps and embedded in breaking news articles or broadcast graphics.
Data Source: Data comes from the Sensorjournalist project in Media Cluster Norway
Example 2: Drone Search in the Baltic Sea
Fictional Storyline:
A drone is deployed over the Baltic Sea in a search mission after reports of a missing ship. Media outlets create a map to orient their audiences on the unfolding drama.
Data angle:
- Upload a GeoJSON file that shows the drone’s search path.
- Add Point markers for detected signals, wreckage, or search checkpoints.
- Label the place the ship was last located.
What readers will see:
- Highlights maritime and defense storytelling, which is timely and newsy.
- The grid flight path visualization makes the map instantly engaging.
- Perfect to showcase how everviz maps can simplify complex routes into digestible visuals for audiences following breaking stories online or on social media.
Data Source: Data comes from the Sensorjournalist project in Media Cluster Norway
Example 3: Wildfire in Greece
Fictional Storyline:
A wildfire spreads in Greece, with authorities and relief agencies monitoring the perimeter and impact zones.
Data Source: Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) — Event ID 1021078.
Data angle:
- Use a GeoJSON Polygon for fire boundaries.
- Add layers or markers for evacuation centers, affected villages, and firefighting units.
- Style the polygon with a semi-transparent red fill to clearly show the burned area.
Newsroom value:
- Wildfires are sadly common and highly newsworthy, making this instantly relatable.
- The polygon perimeter data illustrates how geospatial files add visual clarity to crisis reporting.
- Emphasizes how audiences benefit from seeing fire boundaries, not just reading about them.
Powered by Sensorjournalist Data
Examples 1 and 2 are fictional scenarios, but the data comes from the Sensorjournalist project in Media Cluster Norway. This initiative explores how real-time sensor and tracking data can be transformed into journalistic storytelling.
How it works
With everviz, it is now as simple as uploading a file.
- GeoJSON / TopoJSON: Show regions, borders, or custom shapes
- KML / KMZ: Widely used formats for geographic data from tools like Google Earth
- GPX: Perfect for visualizing routes such as marathons, hikes, or cycling paths
Tell your story on an animated map
This unlocks endless possibilities for storytelling with interactive and animated maps:
- Routes: Flight route, Marathon tracks, hiking trails or historical journeys
- Events: Festivals, parades or demonstrations
- Analysis: War zones, wildfires, climate impact zones or demographic areas
- Everyday data: Customer locations, delivery routes or store regions
And the best part: once you have built your map, you can share it anywhere. Publish it in an online article, display it on broadcast, add it to your video files or post it on social media so your audience can explore and engage with the story behind your data.
What’s next
This new import capability is only the beginning. We are continuously expanding everviz mapping features to make it easier than ever to transform raw data into engaging visual narratives that your audience can access on any platform.
Try uploading your GeoJSON, TopoJSON, KML, KMZ, or GPX file today and see how simple it is to turn data into a story your audience will remember.
