That person is usually called a video journalist or VJ for short. They don't shoot on a Beta or XD camera (the big ones photographers carry today), but a light weight camera like a PD-150. You saw this trend at the now defunct News 24 Houston - a crew of one doing it all from shooting, reporting, writing and editing. Right now in most shops, all of that is usually done by at least two to three people.
But that is changing slowly.
TV news consultant Terry Heaton of AR&D writes about one of his clients, WKRN-TV in Nashville, that is moving in this direction:
What's new is the VJ concept. Most people in the news department write, shoot, edit and host their own stories. This doubled the number of feet on the street and dramatically changed the way they go about gathering the news. There is no "talent/shooter" caste system; everybody's equal. Each has their own car and gear -— and perhaps more importantly -— their own beat to cover.As he mentioned there is a lot of opposition to the idea. Mention this to a TV professional and mostly you'll get a speech on why it will not work.The newsroom comes closer to a meritocracy than the disciplined dictatorship that exists in many contemporary shops.
The VJ concept has its detractors, usually photographers who feel two people will always produce better stories than one. The truth of this belief, however, isn't the issue in a world of increased expectations and declining resources, and the VJs bring so much else to the table that it's hard to argue with the formula. Good storytelling will always require work, and that's no different with one person than it is with two. The VJs like the idea of controlling their own pieces, and some of the best come from the ranks of the shooters.
I see both sides of the equation. The field crews believe the quality of the product will go down. I'm sure there is truth to that. But as ratings for some stations fall, costs will need to be cut and the managers will see VJs as a way to do this.
There could be a scenario where a shop works with both models. For a special projects producer like myself, the future could be backpack journalism. Take a producer, give him/her a smaller camera and turn them loose to work on a story for an extended period of time. This piece could be more in-depth with less resources being used. Let the two person crews continue to hit the news of the day.
Just don't get a lazy producer or you'll never see them again. They will always be "on a shoot" or in reality at home watching Cheaters. CONTACT: Leave me a Houston or Texas media news tip | COMMENT: Click to leave your thoughts on this post here
