Newspaper VJ"s: What do you get paid?

[newsismylife]

Does anybody have any idea what some newspaper VJ's are making?

[Hank Scorpio]

Yeah I know what they're making... BAD TV.

Just kidding, I'm sure they're all great but I couldn't resist it.

[Baltimore Shooter]

More like they're doing the jobs of 4 people and getting paid poorly. When you add up all their hours and devide by the number of hats they're wearing at once, they're probably making less than minimum wage.

Warren

[Nino]

Those that I've seen during media events are the regular news photographers also now carrying small video cameras. Many are reluctantly forced to do videos or else while many welcome the changes. Also reporters are rolling tapes these days too and often they do both, writing and taping, janitors can't be far behind. Some newspaper add VJs for their web sites, keep in mind that these web sites are lifeboats for sinking ships and the job security is non existent, if you get one do not make long term financial plans based on your job.

Read this post on this subject http://b-roll.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19238

[F4 Fan]

Check out what they are doing in Spokane.

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/video/

While I wouldn't consider these clips to be great TV, they aren't bad and from what I've read the photographer really feels more ownership of the story.

It still doesn't answer your question about salary, but I would guess it's whatever he was making shooting stills. Can't say if this is a trend or a fad with newspapers - but I would take Nino's advice very seriously.

[Necktie Boy]

The local newspaper uses the still shooter. They do not use shooters that have video backgrounds. And the video looks it. I heard that the still shooters are not happy shooting stills and video for the same price....Or carry a video camera along with the other still cameras they carry into the field.

[Baltimore Shooter]

I heard that the still shooters are not happy shooting stills and video for the same price....Or carry a video camera along with the other still cameras they carry into the field.
I wonder what the union that represents newspaper still photogs has to say about this situation.

Warren

[cameragod]

I was talking to a newspaper VJ last week. He was the only one remaining of 5 hired last year to test out the video on line thing. 4 have been sacked. It seems the newspaper has worked out that it is cheaper and they get a better product by just linking to an online TV story. It comes up in a box so the viewer/reader doesn’t lave the newspapers web site and it costs them nothing… oh and the quality is a lot better than what they can do.
So what is his job now? Well he takes a small camera and laptop along to press conferences and streams them live… that’s it.


He’s not making any long term plans.

[eb]

Yeah I know what they're making... BAD TV.

Just kidding, I'm sure they're all great but I couldn't resist it.

THAT... was hilarious.

[Ace Of Nothing]

Still photog's are shooting video here on HVX-200's and they are not happy about it. Some of the reporters use a point-and-shoot consumer camera and roll during scrums or pressers. The paper that does it is the "little guy" in town. No one really reads them (they are an ultra-right-wing rag that has a girl in a bikini on the last page everyday) so this is a desperate attempt to grab the "online" reader since they barely get any on newsprint. What's funny is that they are putting so much effort into the website and they are kinda considered a joke to any semi-intelligent, web-savvy person that might be inclined to get their news online.

The video quality is terrible but no one notices because no one is watching.

The other paper in town (the one people actually read) is starting to do some video, but they will send a shooter out to JUST do the video for a special project or feature and they do a pretty good job of it all things considered.

[bw3508]

A few weeks back, one newspaper VJ told me he is doing even more work than a television VJ for the same pay. He not only shoots/edits and fronts the story, but he also must re-write the story twice, once for print, and another time for the web. Another downer; barely anyone is watching that paper's online video.

[Necktie Boy]

I don't know if they have an union, but I know that the video isn't that good.