The post I just did gave me a thought — now that we’re getting wider distribution and participation from our news sites in our video strategy, I should highlight some of the better, more interesting videos our reporters shoot.
My intention is to do a video of the week, but given how busy I can get some times, I doubt I’ll be that deligent some times, or that posting will be evenly spaced.
I’ll start, though, this week with two I just found on YouTube (where most of our papers post their video).
Howard – Interesting videos. I was wondering what your thoughts are on the lack of branding within the videos themselves. Given the portability of YouTube videos, without including the name of the publication and/or the web address, what is there to associate the video with the local brand and use them to build audience?
Yes, that’s something we need to work on.
Nice raw video, yes. But where’s the journalism? Where’s the editing? Where’s the context? Why should I care beyond the fact that a cute and obviously talented kid knows how to play a difficult Chopin piece at that age? Why should I care that this obviously passionate truck collector goes to all this trouble? He provides the usual clues in his commentary, but where are the probing questions or incisive observations from a skilled reporter on why anyone would want to indulge this particular hobby?
Maybe I’m spoiled by the generally high quality of local TV reporting in the Boston area (NECN and Channel 5’s “Chronicle immediately come to mind), but I expect video from a news site to be, well, news.
Um, read the stories.
Or, that’s not really the point.
And, please, TV = quality web video. No thanks.
I thought this might be of interest to you and your readers:
The Concentra Award for video journalism is now open for entry.
In previous years this award has been for broadcast journalism from within Europe only. To reflect the changing news environment the award is now open to video journalism broadcast or published in any news program or on any online news site anywhere in the world.
The award also comes with a 10.000 euro prize.
The closing date for entries is Jan 7th 2008. Individuals can enter at anytime up to that point.
Details, rules and regulations can be found at http://www.theconcentra.org
The awards ceremony takes place on March 3rd at the DNA2008 conference, in Brussels.
The seven short-listed finalists will be invited to the event with their travel and accommodation costs paid by the organizers.
The Jury members are
Host: Willy Lenaers (CEO, Concentra, Belgium)
Chairman: Michael Rosenblum (CEO, Rosenblum TV, USA)
Sue Phillips (London, Bureau Chief, Al Jazeera, UK)
Cristian Trippe (Brussels Correspondent, Deutsche Welle, Germany)
Bas Broekhuizen (Editor, Volkskrant TV, Netherlands)
Tone Kunst (Editor in Chief, NRK Nordland, Norway)
Leif Hedman (Director, SVT, Sweden)
Vicente Partal, (Board Member ECJ, Director, Villaweb, Spain)
http://www.theconcentra.org
WHy do yo dismiss Victor’s questions so easily. You are often wordy to the point of exhaustion (not a good web strategy), but on this you provide three snappy sentences.
I think the point about a lack of context is a good one.
Also, the piano video was too long……he just played, that was it…….for two minutes.