News maps certainly add an interesting visual component to a story, which is why more media organizations are jumping on board.

Poynter blogger Amy Gahran highlighted a few of the best designed maps:

-AP News and Google Maps: although it's simple, Gahran says it's effective because it updates automatically

-American Disapora: Displayed on ePodunk.com (see photo), a site providing town-specific statistics, the map uses "radical lines" to illustrate post-Hurricane Katrina migration

Other maps, such as the Flickr searchable photo map, have been designed with more advanced technology, such as Adobe AIR, Flash, and widgets.

Though it is not mentioned by Gahran, The Times recently got in on the news map action, incorporating its first-ever Google map to accompany a story on Brit's financial habits.

Source: E-Media Tidbits