Jack Lail writes about newspaper video disrupting TV news inspired by a post from Michael Rosenblum.
Some commenters lambasted his post as promoting a type of journalism that’s basically not professional enough. But the question is: Is it good enough?
I think the answer — at least for now — is that VJ, backpack, MoJo, or just reporter with a camera video can attract an audience and be disruptive to the traditioanl TV model. And while the production qualities are derided by the “pros,” the viewers are watching.
Classic Innovator’s Dilemma stuff. A lot of times, it isn’t executives unwilling to fund change who hold back innovation, but middle managers and lower who can only conceive of doing their job one way. With web video, it’s photographes and videographers who believe some fairly substantial standards must be maintained despite terrabytes of evidence that all consumers really want is “good enough.” That’s why TV stations will lose, and why newspapers that let photo staff dictate the terms of coverage are making a big mistake.
