Broadcast Engineering - Latest Comments in WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

emaalouf — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:10:16 -0000

This is terrific news... Now I have one more reason not to watch local news.
If a reporter has to film, edit and write a news piece within a deadline, will the quality suffer? I think so... Clearly WUSA cares very little about good, solid and informative journalism accompanied by un-shakey scenes.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

D.St. — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:56:16 -0000

What a commercial for AR&D! There are two stations that have had this system in place for quite sometime, as mentioned in the article. Did the author contact those stations to see how the viewers have responded? Have the ratings of stations who are employing the "VJ" system gone up or down? What is going to be the effect on broadcast journalism when the product is so vapid that no one watches? This article fails to consider the overall impact other than to mention that some anchors are concered about their "diminished status". Where did you guys get this drivel, a Gannett press release?

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Ugh — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 12:44:07 -0000

This article is poorly written and biased.

First of all, there is much more substantial criticism coming from reporters and anchors than worries over "diminished status". How insulting. The true worry is over the dramatically diminished quality of reports coming from one-man-bands. Anyone who turns on KRON in San Francisco can clearly see that.

Secondly, does anyone really believe this tired management spin that one-man-bands put more "feet on the street"? How lazy is the person who wrote this article not to even check the facts of this claim? I seriously doubt KRON has any more reporters now. Indeed, I believe it has a smaller number of reporters. "Fewer reporters with less experience doing more" is the real headlines here.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Alton — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:08:34 -0000

It is a sad day for AFTRA, IBEW and all broadcast employess when they allowed this travesty. The broadcast business iss in peril because they no longer care about the quality of the content. I suppose we are all doomed to tabloid news coverage and crappy you Tube quality video because all management sees is the bottom line. Isn't this exactly why the economy is in the state it is in, no relevent news to inform the people of the problems that lie ahead but plenty of sensational stories and TMZ type celebrity coverage.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Bill — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:09:45 -0000

Lougee, Gumbert and their cronies are nothing more than charlatans hawking the next big scam akin to Phil Hartman's monorail pitchman character on The Simpsons. TV bosses cut their budgets and get paid their bonuses. The viewers get crap.
It's all about broadast companies making as much money as they can while papering over their drivel with hollow and fraudulent promotion.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Michael Sims — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:09:52 -0000

So now do 2 jobs instead of 1 AND take a 30 to 50% pay cut? What's next? Buy your own gear? I'm glad I got out of the news biz.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Rob Rainey — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:46:46 -0000

The amazing thing about a one man band is that the person can play music at all. No expects a one man band to play GOOD music. The same goes for one person 'media journalists.'

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Steve York — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:31:14 -0000

Jerry Gumbert of AR&D Consulting describes one-person multimedia journalists as "a giant step in the right direction." If Mr. Gumbert has ever reported, written, photographed and edited a news story, I shudder to think what it would look like. Rarely, if ever, are all the talents require to excel in these very diffrent disciplines combined in one parson. I am a producer with considerable experience as a video editor. My 30+ years of experience in this field have taught me that I will never be a good cameraman. I will never have the reporting skills of a Peter Jennings or a David Brinkley (I worked with them both, and they probably would have been lousy cameramen.) My editing skills are modest, not comparable to the editors I employ nowadays, who I doubt would make good reporters. This nothing but an exercise in cost-cutting, which management may deem necessary, but it's a giant step backwards for the quality of television news, which ought to count for something. Moreover, this shift will have devastating consequences for the dignity, self-respect, and morale of those who take pride in their professional work -- who are about to be compelled to perform duties for which they have no training, no experience, and little if any aptitude. It's a sad day.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Patrick Montgomery — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:27:15 -0000

This is new? No way, I know of 3 TV stations here in Idaho that have had one person news-teams for many years.

Re: WUSA to adopt one-person �multimedia journalist� model for newsgathering

Art Hackett — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:08:21 -0000

Explain why reporters should take a pay cut for improving productivity.