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PLEASE no anonymous messages. No flames.
Dirck Halstead
Corporate ownership is not compatible with quality journalism.
In India, the concept of web video is not even considered in a big way by newspapers who are still content in their print world. As a pj, I am looking at making the transition to multimedia journalism instead of only web video, and make integrated packages that include video, slideshows, audio and text to tell the whole story. Is this considered in a big way by US newspapers? If so, are there any successful examples?
I am also looking for online source (paid or free) that conduct short courses in visual storytelling (online) for a global audience. Any recommendations?
In the US, newspapers over the past few years have gone through an evolution. First they started using photo galleries, then slide shows, then they moved to multimedia slide shows.Finally, in the last two years they have moved on to video. This last part was hard to do, since newspaper photographers had no real experience in producing for this media. Thanks to the many Platypus workshops around the country, that is in the process of being remedied. The problem with multimedia is that it is very time consuming. Mediastorm for example will spend weeks working on a project. Video is relatively simple. It can be produced on deadline once it is mastered. If you want to spend time lingering on stills, you can easily do that in Final Cut Pro.
For an example of a paper that has mastered this go to the Detroit Free Press site at freep.com
Be sure to look at their Emmy-award winning package on Michigan Marines in Irag
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=...
The India newspaper industry is in the enviable position of being generally popular. Its various owners are not forced into reexamining their business model -- yet.
The average pkg is 2.15 to 2.30 - not 45 seconds.
Something that is 45 seconds is usually an anchor read, usually agency material or pool.
If you're not approaching your job with an eye how to help the online edition grow, please go apply for a job at Wal-Mart.
If you're not producing MULTIPLE videos per day, you're doing your employer and your profession a disservice.
The only way to grow online video audience is to "get the hits up." If that isn't a major concern of yours, then your part of the problem, not the solution.
Forget the NPPA awards, forget all of the awards. If you're making video win awards rather than win readers, you're part of the problem, not the solution.
Grab a camera -- any camera that shoots video will do -- and start producing lots and lots of video.
Otherwise, go start your own web site and see how well you do at supporting yourself with your "award winning" video.
So what exactly are you saying? Produce a lot of crappy video to get the hits up with the idea that the public will watch anything? Sort of the YouTube-ization of the web? I'm just trying to understand your comments.
By the way, the person who wrote that editorial was Dirck Halstead, who has been doing online journalism for a while now and started his photojournalism career in the 1950's.
Sincerely, PF Bentley
Bill
(p.s. - there is, as you promised Dirck, a lot of interesting material in the dj, thanks!)
And, yes, in the UK many regional papers would be happy to have untrained photographers taking photos, and work experience students writing stories as it saves money. Is it any wonder that sales of regional papers are in decline? There's a short termist view that by saving money profits on paper look OK, but at the expense of the product.
Forgive me for being blunt and possibly rude, but I believe the still profession to a large degree has looked down at the video industry for a long time. Actually, they can be quite snobbish about it. Don't get me wrong, I totally respect their work. But video production takes a whole different skill set. I have friends who are very accomplished still photographers, but have told me they never knew that there was so much effort and detail into shooting video. Simple things like how to gather good clean sound, which a technique video professionals have to do all day long. I've been doing all of this for the last 25 years. Yes, the equipment has gotten smaller, but ultimately it comes down to good storytelling. Web based stories can be subject driven, and not neccesarily reporter driven. And that's OK. It's probably a good idea that they are not the same.
Working at a television station turning stories daily is very challenging. The deadlines are unforgiving, and even editing a "simple" news story takes a lot of effort. A different process than sending several still images through an ordinary laptop.
First of all, most TV packages are anywhere from 1:15-1:45 or more. These normally contain a lot of nat sounds "Hits", pertinent sound bites, and reporter tracks, all when covered properly can produce a stunning story.
Secondly, on most days the photographer is also the driver/tech of the live truck and edits 2 different stories on the same subject. It's a challenging job. Yes, it true that some photographers may shoot 3 or 4 Vo's, but most of the staff out in the field shoots and edits their own footage.
Thirdly, In the context of production value, with a reasonable amount of time on most days, it is possible to turn some creative stories. Some days, you can't. It can be very frustrating.
You are right. Don't be like Television as we know it. But pieces that are long better be worth it, because the viewer won't stay for long.
Still Galleries get more hits because they are faster to go through. People can control the speed and how many they want to see. Video requires somebody to sit through it.
You're right. Do great stories. With great audio, and great moments. No, they don't have to be turned on a daily basis, but most videos don't require weeks of production. There is a middle ground. I know the process. Working weeks ona project should be the exception.
Sorry to tell you. But you can't tell the bean counters to butt out. You can keep them somewhat at a distance, but the harsh cruel reality of the web is that it is now possible to accurately count web hits on individual stories. It might mean unpopular, yet artistic stories, might be a hard sell. Don't give up.
I am just being honest here. There is a lot and really good multimedia out there, and there is also some really bad stuff.
We are all artists. Let's work together, because if the web is the end all. we're all going to be in the same boat.
Lastly, I sincerely hope that most people are hear to tell good stories, not to win contests. I like the NPPA philosophy, but it is too formula driven, and contest driven. Entering a contest should be secondary.
I haven't purchased a newspaper in several years, yet keep up with currents events by viewing the online alternatives. I have also purchased products that are advertised in those same alternatives.
The days of an overweight cigar chomping crusty middle aged man wearing a green eye shade yelling "stop the presses" are nearly gone. This doesn't mean that profits will be gone with it, but the technology has changed and the dinosaurs are forced to change with it or perish.