VJ in DC

From the get-go of this BackPackJournalist crap, Gannett told it's employees that "there will always be room for photographers at this company."

Just because you're loyal to your company doesn't mean you should expect them to return the favor.

Just think, if they got rid of their bull**** newspapers they might actually have money in the coffers....
 
"We believe strongly that [this change] will raise both the quality and quantity of the product we're putting out"

I've yet to see an example of this where the quality has increased in either reporting skills or production.
 
Plain and simple, they will LOSE in news..

They'll have some pretty fun features and silly stories... But news? They're going to get their asses kicked.

Good luck
 
The new news director at WUSA is Lane Michaelson I believe. Former TV photog.
Gannett promotes TV news photographers into management. Does that, or will that, work to their advantage?
 
Channel 9 -- which is running last in the local news ratings -- will switch to the new system early next year ...
Click to expand...

And there's your reason right there. They've got nothing to lose.

Multimedia journalists will earn 30 to 50 percent less than what traditional reporters have been earning, with salaries topping out at around $90,000 annually, according to people at the station.
Click to expand...

What's Rosenblum going to do? WUSA can pay OMB/VJs up to three times what his crappy hyperlocal operation pays! I find this entire situation very, very funny.
 
Last edited:
when I worked a a Gannett station we had 2 "backpack journalists" gosh isn't that a cute name for it? We were told traditional crews are the bread and butter of news and will never be abandoned, but here we are. I sat through many of those meetings, now it turns out it was a lot of lying and double talk.
 
This is already happening in Denver at K*USA. Many days you will see photogs doing it all, as well as reporters doing it all. It is what it is, it's the way every station will be going soon. In no way though is WUSA the Flagship station, that's BS, they are just following in the footsteps KUSA.
 
To quote Mr. Chris Rock:
"Just because something can be done don't mean it's to be done. You can drive your car with your feet if ya' want to. That don't make it a good f*****g idea."
 
Really though I see reporters with small cameras now... and the other day when I was out on a pre- fiesta bowl story saw a photog of long time great ability and standing running a great interview with one of the people in a manner I would hold to the level of a good reporter or above.... I would have been proud to have been running the interview as well as he was.

I gess the question is.... which is better? a photographer that reports or a reporter that photographs?(videos)

My opinion is that the photographer that reports is a better combo but my view might be schewed as I come from the photog end first....
 
Last edited:
I do not want in any way shape or form cause a bash on VJ debate but I have a quick conversation starter I would like to ponder........

Rosenblum has spewed his agenda about the evolution to the VJ...he claims the technology has made it so to allow this(VJ) to occur and deliver (what I don't really know)...anyways, he is right to a degree. Cameras have gotten smaller and better but NOT all small camers are made for news so thats where the technology falters.

We have come to suspect in this forum that the VJ switch is obviously to save money. Technology has made this possible...we know that. But not really one station has formally said "We are doing this because technology allows us to and its the greatest idea ever." Or have they? I haven't seen that said. Instead its announced with layoffs and/or restructuring or economy issues....thus making it a economical decision.

Rosenblum has struck at the right time....the market has allowed this idea to flourish, but maybe not with the message he intended. Newsrooms are shrinking...taking more able bodies away from gathering content( how does that coinside with his more cameras on the street initiative)....reports can be filed by one person, but at what cost? Quality?

So I just find it funny that the market has evolved to this step in our industry...whos right...whos wrong? Any ideas or thoughts on this?
 
Last edited:
When the current President of the Broadcasting Division of Gannett, Dave Lougee, was the News Director at KUSA-TV in Denver, the station added a second satellite truck to its operations in their West Slope Bureau out in the boonies of the Colorado mountains, but he didn't want to pay for an engineer to staff the truck. His ingenious solution:

1. Hire a photog that was also a truck op. Only problem, the satellite truck was much slower than the bureau Suburban, so when the two person bureau headed out for breaking news, the reporter would often arrive an hour or more ahead of the photog, and have to do the one man band while the truck was driving to the scene and setting up. (Think mountain passes, snow and hundred mile+ driving distances to the average story)

2. Another small problem: when going live, the photog had to stay in the truck, meaning the reporter had to man the live camera AND do the report. When this new truck was announced, Lougee's brilliant idea was to have the reporter start on camera--with feedback from the truck on where to stand--start his stand-up, and then walk off camera (with a "here let me show you what I'm talking about") and move the camera live on the air to zoom in to the scene, all the while still narrating. Then, while the package was rolling, the reporter would have to zoom back out and dance into place in front of the camera for the backside wrap. (or, zoom back out, and walk back in front of the camera to keep delivering the intro)

Lougee was mystified when the photog staff--a perennial NPPA "Station of the Year" winner or finalist shop--failed to show much enthusiasm for his revolutionary, "cutting edge" visual concept.

Of course, this is also the same guy who basically questioned the manhood of his photog staff when hardly anyone wanted to fly in the station helicopter (after 5 crashes). Two of them resulted in fatalities--including the Chief Photog--one of the greatest guys I ever had the privilege to work with.

I have a hard time believing in the crowded, pack o' media DC market that a one man band is the premium work flow for gathering general and spot news, but given Lougee's background, I'm not surprised at all that he'd endorse it.
 
But it can't be!

Dog said this would never happen. That VJs were dead long ago. A complete and utter failure! Please Dog, tell us all this is a terrible mistake and will soon go away.
 
Anyone who shoots (just shoots) in DC knows what a pain in the a$$ it is...and to be asked to do more for less, should just walk away like the vet reporter did...It's just not worth it anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top