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Readers: How interested in video are they, really?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by WriteThinking, May 21, 2008.

  1. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    On other threads I have said that, true. On this one I'm saying news companies should not diddle around with niches, but need to spend the resources looking for something that's going to bring in serious money. Video killed the radio star, and all that.
     
  2. captzulu

    captzulu Member

    Happy to help, WT. Knowledge brings fear.
     
  3. BrianGriffin

    BrianGriffin Active Member

    I recently had a conversation with the Webmaster of a paper whose Site is doing very well (recently won a national award) while researching what would be good for our own Site. His feedback: Video cannot be a priority because it does not offer enough hits in relation to effort. It has a role, but if your online people spend all their time worrying about multi-media, they're going to miss what's really going to drive readers to their Sites.

    Newspapers are far better served placing information on their sites quickly and allowing readers to interact with it. If your Site is updated throughout the day with relevant information to your target audience, you give the target audience reason to come back periodically.

    Video's role in that? I think you'll know when it's time to use it. For example, if traffic's backed up on a main traffic artery at 3:30 because of some unusual circumstance get video of it on your website by 4. That means everybody who is about to have to commute in the mess can get a look at it before they leave their offices. You'll have commuters calling other commuters, or emailing or instant messaging "hey look at interstate x." If George Clooney is in town (as he was in mind not long ago) and the place is buzzing abut his star power, get the video up quickly and try to make it clear he's in YOUR town so people can get a load out of the novelty of it (i.e., if he's near a city landmark, get the landmark in the picture)...

    But can you find video that might have that kind of impact every day? Probably not, especially if you don't have camera crews all over town like TV does. And with a bunch of amateur photographers toting the crap around, you'll end up with a Web Site that looks like Blair Witch Project or Cloverfield.

    Videos for newspaper Sites have very limited benefit. Papers are better served maximizing what the collected talent of a newsroom is prepared to deliver — written details in a timely manner.
     
  4. WriteThinking

    WriteThinking Well-Known Member

    Yeah, no kidding.

    But at least it gives an idea, perhaps, of what we should be doing, of a direction to take.

    So far, at least, this has been my general sense of things regarding newspapers and video. Video is for major fires, unlikely events or scenes, etc., and not necessarily for every sports game or everyday interview.

    Especially if there is no dedicated video staff, the use of it should be limited.
     
  5. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    And as someone who works in TV, I think going to video is a huge mistake for newspaper web sites for one simple reason: our videos will beat the hell out of your videos.

    As a newspaper you have the ability to go into greater depth than TV. You can focus on issues that don't translate well visually. You invariably have a bigger staff and can cover far more stories than a competing TV station. You have writers who are used to writing to be read as opposed to writing to be read aloud (and there's a huge difference). All of those should translate into a better news website.

    On the other hand, my TV station has, on any given day, about 15 video photographers and 6 video editors. some of them have been doing the job for 30 years. We have a photog with 27 Emmys. The one place you will never be able to compete with us is doing video, and yet that seems to be where the focus is going.

    I don't get it.
     
  6. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    PC, damn good points.

    Weezer debuted a song on Youtube two days ago. It was the only location to hear the song or see the video.

    It now has over 2.5 million views in 48 hours.

    Video is being watched.

    Can a newspaper compete? I don't think so.

    Should every newscast use Youtube as a backup? To their homepage? Yes.
     
  7. deviljets7

    deviljets7 Member

    Nothing else needs to be said.
     
  8. school of old

    school of old New Member

    What about papers in markets where there is no TV station covering local news?
     
  9. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    There is nothing preventing newspaper Web sites from simply hiring experienced TV people to shoot video and read the news online. All they need to do is realize that shooting video is a skill and stop the stupidity of having just anyone shoot those images. They won't be hiring Brian Williams to anchor the online news, but there's plenty of underpaid on-air and behind-the-scenes talent in local-news TV.
     
  10. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    I would say that's a pretty good exception, as long as the focus is on market-specific local things that won't be covered by the TV station.
     
  11. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    Frank, I largely agree... except I don't expect to see newspapers dropping that kind of money into the video. Given the choice between hiring a few video professionals or handing camcorders to a few reporters, I don't think I'll see many papers opting for the video pro route.
     
  12. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    Interesting piece:

    http://www.splicetoday.com/digital/i-want-my-webtv
     
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