CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs at DVinfo.net

Glen Vandermolen · December 3rd, 2011, 01:52 PM

I must say, this is very disquieting. I'm glad i got out of TV news when I could:

Walter Biscardi: For now, editing is a commodity and less a craft

Jordan Nash · December 4th, 2011, 12:08 AM

I saw this coming a decade ago. Broadcast television is doomed. Nobody likes watching ads, buying hundreds of cable channels when they only watch a few shows, and having to pay to archive the shows so that they can watch them at a decent hour.

We are now in a decentralized Internet age. The Internet is the greatest equalizer our society has seen since the invention of the firearm.

Anyone can start their own news agency with basic equipment and compelling stories. CNN is just trying to recruit and centralize that cheap talent to benefit them. I've been thinking about recording some news-type stories myself.

Allan Black · December 4th, 2011, 12:20 AM

Yep folk will do it just to see their name on TV (present company excepted :) The upside, if there is one, might be it'll give young talent a start they may never get otherwise .. that is if the unions don't step in.

Hands up those who want to be a TV news editor .. some spots coming up me thinks.

Cheers.

Brian Drysdale · December 22nd, 2011, 03:56 AM

News has always the area where new people came through and quite a few moved onto different areas of production. It's easy to do it as a hobby, the hard bit is earning your living at it and the White House isn't going to allow crews in without credentials.

In news the video journalist has been replacing the traditional crews on local news, which tends to be softer and it keeps the costs down. On hard news the person on the spot can capture footage, which adds to the overall story, but the demand for up to date 24 hour news still needs the crews to tie this material together in extremely tight deadlines.

It really depends on the areas that CNN wants to use this new material and if the traditional staff are now going to be replaced by new jobs that involve filtering and selecting this material.

Jim Michael · December 22nd, 2011, 05:45 AM

Every news agency that does this leaves themselves wide open to spoofs, doctored footage, one-sided reportage, etc. and will soon be regarded as only a source of entertainment.

Jordan Nash · December 22nd, 2011, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Michael

Every news agency that does this leaves themselves wide open to spoofs, doctored footage, one-sided reportage, etc. and will soon be regarded as only a source of entertainment.

This is different from what we already have how?

Jim Michael · December 22nd, 2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan Nash

This is different from what we already have how?

Your question is open to multiple interpretations, or is maybe rhetorical? But for instance, these days if I go to a protest or rally to photograph I usually see coverage by paid journalists who have something to lose, a job, if their reportage is faked or biased.

But there have been documented instances of people being photoshopped in to make crowds at events look larger, so humanity is already doomed I suppose.

Tim Kay · January 9th, 2012, 03:30 AM

The only happy news production crews i've met are ones that have gotten out of the news business

Scott Holchin · January 9th, 2012, 09:02 PM

Sad, I wanted to get into the news videographer business, but when I looked into it I was told that only young free interns willing to write, shoot, edit, and get coffee will have work, (sorry I'm 34 to old to work for free).

December 3rd, 2011, 01:52 PM	#1
Glen Vandermolen Space Hipster Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,596	CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs I must say, this is very disquieting. I'm glad i got out of TV news when I could: Walter Biscardi: For now, editing is a commodity and less a craft

December 4th, 2011, 12:08 AM	#2
Jordan Nash Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Fort Wayne, IN (USA) Posts: 85	Re: CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs I saw this coming a decade ago. Broadcast television is doomed. Nobody likes watching ads, buying hundreds of cable channels when they only watch a few shows, and having to pay to archive the shows so that they can watch them at a decent hour. We are now in a decentralized Internet age. The Internet is the greatest equalizer our society has seen since the invention of the firearm. Anyone can start their own news agency with basic equipment and compelling stories. CNN is just trying to recruit and centralize that cheap talent to benefit them. I've been thinking about recording some news-type stories myself. __________________ Blog

December 4th, 2011, 12:20 AM	#3
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,887	Re: CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs Yep folk will do it just to see their name on TV (present company excepted :) The upside, if there is one, might be it'll give young talent a start they may never get otherwise .. that is if the unions don't step in. Hands up those who want to be a TV news editor .. some spots coming up me thinks. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

December 22nd, 2011, 03:56 AM	#4
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,143	Re: CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs News has always the area where new people came through and quite a few moved onto different areas of production. It's easy to do it as a hobby, the hard bit is earning your living at it and the White House isn't going to allow crews in without credentials. In news the video journalist has been replacing the traditional crews on local news, which tends to be softer and it keeps the costs down. On hard news the person on the spot can capture footage, which adds to the overall story, but the demand for up to date 24 hour news still needs the crews to tie this material together in extremely tight deadlines. It really depends on the areas that CNN wants to use this new material and if the traditional staff are now going to be replaced by new jobs that involve filtering and selecting this material.

December 22nd, 2011, 05:45 AM	#5
Jim Michael Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 895	Re: CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs Every news agency that does this leaves themselves wide open to spoofs, doctored footage, one-sided reportage, etc. and will soon be regarded as only a source of entertainment.

January 9th, 2012, 03:30 AM	#8
Tim Kay Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: SF & LA Posts: 195	Re: CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs The only happy news production crews i've met are ones that have gotten out of the news business __________________ Event Production Services \| Video Production San Francisco

January 9th, 2012, 09:02 PM	#9
Scott Holchin Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Fairview Park, Ohio Posts: 29	Re: CNN doing away with videographers, editors: going to amateurs Sad, I wanted to get into the news videographer business, but when I looked into it I was told that only young free interns willing to write, shoot, edit, and get coffee will have work, (sorry I'm 34 to old to work for free).