Video journalism

Video journalism is a form of broadcast journalism, where the production of video content in which the journalist shoots, edits and often presents his or her own material.

A predecessor to video journalism first appeared in the 1960s in the USA, when reporters had to write and shoot their own stories. [http://goa2003.onlinejournalismus.de/forschung/videojournalismus_berufsbild.php Roman Mischel: "Definition, Geschichte und Gegenwart", onlinejournalismus.de, 9. Februar 2005 (21. November 2006)] ] Michael Rosenblum compared the introduction of video cameras to the invention of the portable camera in the 1930s: film spools of plastic made photography independent from heavy plates and tripods. digital video technology releases TV from heavy cameras, artificial light and studios in much the same manner. Video journalism makes it possible to document any event while it is still occurring.Michael Rosenblum: "Vom Zen des Videojournalismus", in: Andre Zalbertus/ Rosenblum, Michael: "Videojournalismus". Uni Edition, 2003, ISBN 3937151109, S. 17-75] .

In the early 1990s, the news channel NY1 was the first to hire only video journalists. [cite web | url=http://www.ny1.com/ny1/AboutNY1/ny1_info.jsp | title=Station History | accessdate=2007-05-02 | publisher=TV channel | date=2007-05-08] In the middle of the 1990s, the first German private stations followed the example of NY1, and in 1994, the first public broadcasting station, the local channel Bayerische Rundfunk, followed suit and hired a number of video journalists.

In 2001 the BBC started to switch to video journalism in all its regional offices.Andre Zalbertus: "Vom Abenteuer einer Revolution in Deutschland", in: Andre Zalbertus/ Rosenblum, Michael: "Videojournalismus". Uni Edition, 2003, ISBN 3937151109, S. 11-15] . As of June 2005 the BBC has more than 600 of its staff trained as video journalists. [cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/07_july/01/vj.shtml | title=BBC hosts European video journalism conference | accessdate=2007-02-08 | publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation | date=2005-07-01] Other broadcasting entities who are employing this method include Voice of America, Video News International and New York 1. [cite web | url=http://televisionbroadcast.com/articles/article_1091.shtml | title=Video Journalists: More Crews, More Coverage, More Ratings | accessdate=2007-04-06 | publisher=TVB, Television Broadcast | date=2006-09-18] Video journalism seems to become more widespread among newspapers as well, with the Washington Post alone employing six video journalists. [cite web | url=http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/600916Junnarkar/ | title=Q&A with Travis Fox, video journalist for washingtonpost.com | accessdate=2007-04-06 | publisher=USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review | date=2006-09-18]

The Press Association (UK) is behind a training programme which "converts" regional journalists into video journalists, more than 100 as of March 2007. [cite web | url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=37397 | title=In the frame for video journalism | accessdate=2007-09-12 | publisher=Press Gazette | date=2007-04-23]

In Australia, Network Ten is the only commercial network to employ video journalists. They are based in remote bureaux spread across Queensland: Simon Hooper on the Gold Coast, Nicolas Boot on the Sunshine Coast and Brett Mason in North Queensland.

Pros and cons

Growth in video journalism coincides with changes in video technology and the cost of this technology. As quality cameras and editing systems have become smaller and available at a fraction of their previous costs, the single operator method has spread. [cite web | url=http://www.tvspy.com/nexttv/nexttvcolumn.cfm?t_nexttv_id=480&page=1&t_content_cat_id=20 | title=Democratizing TV: The BBC | accessdate=2007-04-20 | publisher=TVSpy | date=2002-09-17]

Some argue video journalists are able to get closer to the story avoiding the impersonality that may come with larger crewing. In addition, the dramatically lower costs have made possible the birth of many cinéma vérité-style documentary films and series. Others see this method of production as a dilution of skills and quality driven by TV management cost cutting incentives. [cite web | url=http://www.ojr.org/ojr/wiki/video_journalists/ | title='Video journalists' Inevitable revolution or way to cut TV jobs? | accessdate=2007-02-08 | publisher=Online Journalism Review | date=2005-02-08]

Other Names

A video journalist is often referred to simply as a "VJ". Other titles for the same or similar job include:

* Solo VJ [ [http://www.viewmagazine.tv David Dunkley Gyimah] ]
* One Man Band or "OMB" [ [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6546938.html “One Man Band” Video Journalist Model Proliferates] ]
* Multi-Media Journalist or "MMJ" [ [http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=2&aid=146372 News Director Gives Backpack Journalism a Try] ]
* Backpack Journalist [ [http://www.usatoday.com/tech/world/iraq/2003-03-25-backpack-journalists_x.htm New technology gives birth to 'backpack journalist'] ]
* Solo journalist or "SoJo" [ [http://hotzone.yahoo.com/meet-kevin Meet Kevin Sites, conflict, war correspondent & solo journalist ] ]

Notes and references