All you anti-VJ people: What exactly IS your stance on VJ's?

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Jeff Spicoli

Member
We know you hate them and don't think that they will EVER do as good a job as an NPPA & Poynter "traditional" team.
But do you HONESTLY think that this concept is going to go away? (I'm talking about in everyday local TV news...not production houses or networks.)
I don't.
The J-schools are flooded w/the "journalists" (I use this term loosely) who know how to capture video, download it, and get it out on the web...or to servers. They're doing it NOW...and when they graduate (as have their forebearers over the past five years or so) they'll be out in the small markets, practicing their VJ thing. Soon, they get to mid-markets (actually, many jump right to the upper levels). What makes you think this will all go away?
I'm not trying to be mean or sarcastic. But I'm seeing what's been going on...and this runaway train ain't gonna stop. Shops nowadays are cutting PAST the bone (as our station GM solemnly told us at a staff meeting last year: "We're doing marrow-cuts now"). IF this economy ever turns around to what it was like before, the beancounters are NOT going to sink their money back into the old style of TV news.
This VJ thing is here to stay. I got out seven months ago because I know I'll never be able to write like a reporter AND continue shooting my excellent video. I got out because I choose not to play the game under the new rules now. No bitterness...no burned bridges. I left knowing the time had come. Thankfully I had the foresight to pursue a teaching credential over the past four years. I'm now a 2nd-grade teacher. The good news is, the teaching profession is STARVING for male teachers. The bad news? Because of the economy/budget cuts...I don't know if my job is safe beyond this Spring.
 
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Nino

Well-known member
Jeff Spicoli said:
The J-schools are flooded w/the "journalists" (I use this term loosely) who know how to capture video, download it, and get it out on the web...or to servers.
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[size=+6]WOW[/size]

[size=+2]They know how to do all this? Are you sure? That's a lot of stuff to learn, these guys must be geniuses.[/size]
 
SoMissTV

SoMissTV

Well-known member
Nino said:
They know how to do all this? Are you sure? That's a lot of stuff to learn, these guys must be geniuses.
Click to expand...
I supervise a student-produced news show at a large southeastern university that is accredited in the communication dept. Trust me, they don't all know how to do this. Actually, very few of them do, if any.
 
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newsismylife

Active member
I predict job burnout with the VJ Model.

Obviously it is geared more to the up and coming generation. Not to say that middle aged people can't do it, but.....

A lot a journalists who did the OMB (Code word for VJ) in small markets were glad to be able to focus on just reporting once they got to bigger markets.

It takes a special person with a pretty broad set of skills and energy to do the OMB/VJ for a long time.

I still think overall the quality has to suffer somehow , someway, somewhere.

Am I wrong?


Thoughts.....
 
AlexLucas

AlexLucas

Well-known member
newsismylife said:
I predict job burnout with the VJ Model.
Click to expand...

Lived the burnout. It happens super fast. When it can't work at the pace and ability of a traditional system, they lean on the producing ones even harder.
Then you're double burned out.

It's not good.

Jeff Spicoli, the character played by Sean Penn in Fast times at Ridgemont High, is a troublemaking asshole.
 
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NewsMan

Well-known member
newsismylife said:
It takes a special person with a pretty broad set of skills and energy to do the OMB/VJ for a long time.
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I've been doing it 13 years and will probably do it another five. I'd like an editor more than anything. I like to shoot my own stuff 'cuz it is being assembled in my head as I go. I actually think I am more proficient than a two-person team.

The key for me is to not have an EP that micro-manages me. You have to be creative with your time to be good and micro-managing kills that.

Here's a couple of last weeks pkgs:

http://www.wset.com/news/stories/1109/677283.html
http://www.wset.com/news/stories/1109/678056.html

I'm not posting them to be dissected or praised... just as an example that good, consistent work can be achieved with a dedicated OMB.

DT

PS - My daily output is usually one PKG, 2 VOB, 1-2 VO and a live shot. And yes, I manage this without OT
(however, I have NO time for planning, etc...)
 
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Michaelrosenblum

Michaelrosenblum

Well-known member
Nino said:
And that's about the best all your students can do
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Ah, Nino
Always the angry old man.
You worked hard.
Why don't you just enjoy your retirement?
A round of golf maybe.
I am sure the weather is lovely down there in Tampa this time of year. :)
 
Chicago Dog

Chicago Dog

Well-known member
Everyone:

Please stop feeding the trolls. This thread is nothing more than an attempt to stir the pot.

Thanks.
 
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Nino

Well-known member
Michaelrosenblum said:
Ah, Nino
Always the angry old man.
You worked hard.
Why don't you just enjoy your retirement?
A round of golf maybe.
I am sure the weather is lovely down there in Tampa this time of year. :)
Click to expand...
Where did you ever get the idea that I'm angry, I'm having a blast, I even stopped watching the Comedy Channels since you started scrambling to cover your screw-ups. You and your blog have become my main source of humor.

I tell you what Michael, I invite you to come and work with this old man for one day. Bring your own oxygen because I don't supply that. If you think you had high blood pressure before I can assure you that two hours into the day you'll blast the gauge. Remember, I saw a picture of you without your $3500 leather jacket and wearing only a t-shirt.

A picture is worth a thousand words.
 
AlexLucas

AlexLucas

Well-known member
Enough about the humping already!

From now on, please refer to it as 'ridin' the baloney poney' in the polite company of the gentlemen of b-roll.net.
 
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newsshooter

Well-known member
The OMB thing really isn't that big of a deal. Most of news is factory work. Sound byte, track, sound byte, track.... Give me an OMB that can tell a story. Most of them don't know what NAT sound is, sequencing, or writing to the video. We have a whole station of OMB's. Two of them tell stories. I'm not into it because all of the other work that comes with being a VJ. It's a VO SOT for 5, a PKG for 6, another VO SOT for 10, a VO SOT for the morning show and a web script. No thank you. Give me a PKG for the 6 or 10 and a web script then leave me alone and let me tell a story. Show producers and AP's can re cut and write the VO SOTS.
I got into the business to tell stories not to be burned out and hate my life in a year.
The news business will be a revolving door. As long as those J schools are pumping out the graduates then there will be another young, no experienced, smiling face for a year or two until they are burned out working by themselves. I'm sure it'll stick around. Stations are saving tons of money and building up their savings account. It means raises for all management while everyone else makes 30,000 a year working 15 hours a day to turn wigets in the factory of television news. Stop applying for these jobs. Stop wanting to get into this "glamorous" business. It's not what you think it is. You're not going to become famous, you don't tell stories anymore, and you should reach burn out in about a year or two.
 
iHD

iHD

Well-known member
zzzzzzzzzzzz.....................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
 
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NewsMan

Well-known member
newsshooter said:
Stop wanting to get into this "glamorous" business. It's not what you think it is. You're not going to become famous, you don't tell stories anymore, and you should reach burn out in about a year or two.
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This is true.... do not get into this if you wanna be rich and famous. In fact, I make less now than I did eight years ago, due to a job change and economic collapse.

Fortunately, I do it because I enjoy the job (I have side income that keeps me alive) and because I DO enjoy telling stories. In fact, short of watching beach sand accumulate, I can't think of another job I'd be happier doing on a daily basis (well, maybe being in a successful band or the starting winger for the Detroit Red Wings would be better).

Attitude can carry you a long way and attitude can stop you dead in the water. It's what you make of it.
 
iHD

iHD

Well-known member
A few things. First, I hate the VJ concept but agree it's not going anywhere. Those that fight it will lose. Same arguments were made when photogs had to start editing, then sound guys went away, then photogs had to start running live trucks, etc. Reality is someone will always be there ready to do the job for peanuts regardless of the workload. As for burnout, for every joe who gets tired and leaves, as I did, there are 200 fresh college grads ready to take his place. All it means is turnover will now be the norm and experienced journalism will be a thing of the past. NEWSFLASH.....beancounters and news management don't care. Local tv news is a dying dinosaur that won't survive much longer anyway.
 
Baltimore Shooter

Baltimore Shooter

Well-known member
iHD said:
NEWSFLASH.....beancounters and news management don't care. Local tv news is a dying dinosaur that won't survive much longer anyway.
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If that's true, then how are the stations going to make their money? The news operations are supposed to be a money maker for the stations. Without the news and given the lack of local originated programming, all they are left with is prime time and syndication.

There aren't a lot of local breaks for local spots in prime time and with syndication, you can get those shows on just about any cable channel. So how will local stations make money if the news dies off?

Warren
 
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