Changing Local News Coverage

WKRN Nashville goes to an all videoblogging format, and in the process decides to ignore the bleeding bodies lying in the street that pass for news coverage, here in Atlanta fer sure. What ghouls.

In a way, this WKRN effort is a throwback to old style coverage, as Allen Facemire, a longtime network news DP, reminded me with this note:

Interesting. When I first started in TV in Jacksonville, FL that’s the way it was. They hired reporters and taught them how to shoot basic stories. No sound, just a basic visual illustrating the story points. I had no problem with it. Now of course you are expected to do talkies and it’s a bit more complicated, technology wise... yet people are doing it in the independent doco world every day. Would they do better if there was a team... perhaps, but sometimes dreams have to be built alone!

Videoblogging represents a whole other (editorial) level though, and Amber and Rusty at the Georgia Podcast Network took time and effort to visit WKRN and talk to some of the staff about the videoblogging format. Here's that podcast.