Blogging At 35000 Feet With the Pentagon Press Corps

by vergenewmedia on May 31, 2007

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Jim Long blogging somewhere over the Pacific, en route Singapore

Friend and social media rock star Chris Abraham once told me that I blog in the “rarified air” from my perch as a network news cameraman. Today, I blog from the very thin air, 35000 feet above the Pacific Ocean, en route to Singapore with Defense Secretary Gates.

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Secretary Gates and Admiral Keating brief press at Pacific Command HQ

NBC News is the US TV Pool traveling with Gates, which means the video I shoot will be used by all five of the big networks. We are flying on this impressive aircraft,
the Air Force E4B.

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Air Force E4B on the flight line

Of it’s long list of operational capabilities, the one nearest and dearest to the heart of this blogger is that it has broadband! Now all it needs is a global coffee chain franchise. Lord knows it would fit! I’ve been able to sneak out a Twitter or two here and there, in flight. Pretty cool!

Recently, friend and blogging cameraman Lenslinger, bristled a bit at some of the new media musings of myself and some of my contemporaries, proudly proclaiming his determination to lug around his old camera and continue his Quixotic quest to tell well crafted, lovingly shot television stories as he’s done for years. Well on this journey, I’m equally entrenched in the trappings of old media. So much so that we’re actually carrying two Ikegami HL-V55 cameras, both in their “autumn years” – one PAL, one NTSC.

With us on this trip is veteran CNN Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre. Jamie is filing stories for CNN, and as the pool crew we’re responsible for getting him on the air.

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Jamie McIntyre, CNN Pentagon Correspondent

Jamie and I are both videoblogging our journey and I’m eager to see what he puts together. (frankly I hope he’s not a better shooter than me!) So I guess then, it’s not a strictly old-media junket. In fact, we had dinner last night with Roxanne Darling of Beachwalks at Alan Wong’s in Honolulu. Beachwalks is a soothing online TV show that is life instruction for stress free living. Roxanne was a wonderful addition to the group and a refreshing diversion from echo chamber discussions of missile defense, Iraq and other Pentagon chatter.

I’ll keep you posted on the Round the World With Secretary Gates videoblog. I’m looking forward to getting home as we continue our westward journey.

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  • Thanks, for the info, it is well informative.... I always wonder what type of people are behind the blog. Its nice to see a reality approach of what you do for a living...
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  • I've always wondered how you guys blog on an airplane when you have no internet.
  • Awesome - thanks for sharing! You are living the behind the scenes comes to life credo!
  • vergenewmedia
    Thom, it's very much a traveling office. In fact, it's more precisely an airborne Pentagon. There is all kinds of communications capability on the aircraft, I'd suggest a google of E4B to see what is public knowledge on that front. As for a TV reporting team, you're generally looking at a crew (camera/sound), producer, and correspondent. Wire services, newspapers, magazines and radio are generally one person operations. Somtimes print folk send still photographers, but an emerging trend is to have the reporter shoot stills as well. Reporters routinely share information and help one another on non-enterprise stories. Sometimes it's a full scale death match though, but that's rare. Food is provided by Air Force staff and we pay for it.
  • So Jim, on the Press Corps plane, is it like a traveling office?

    What sort of communication is available on the plane (phone, cell, fax, internet)?

    How many people are usually part of a reporting team?

    Do you guys share information ever or help each other out or is it a full on death match?

    What kind of food is provided?

    Ok, enough questions for now, I know you have more important things to do than answer my questions. Take care and be safe.
  • vergenewmedia
    Scott, thank you for that very encouraging, thoughtful comment! That really put a kick in my step! I really enjoy this avenue of expression and I hope I offer different perspectives on the evolution of media. Being "out there" does have it's moments.

    Thank YOU for being part of this! Looking forward to seeing you at the next DC Media Makers event!
  • scottstead
    jim even as an old media guy - given ive only been in this for roughly 9 years...i always enjoy your perspective, your old/new media take - your way with words - and your passion for all of it. while i'm stuck back at HQ supporting your kind - i never thought about what you do - i've always just wondered what you're going to bring back broken. now i have so much more appreciation - almost wishing i could be out with your kind on the other end of that lense. keep it up - everything you craft on here is yours - no limmitations for air time - no supervising editors or producers - this is your b-roll, your documentary and your masterpiece end of day summation of what really happens out there - this is your paying witness to things that none of us will ever see. thank you for your effort, your wit, and your insight.

    cheers! see you when you return!
  • vergenewmedia
    Rox, everyone just loved meeting you. We were all VERY reluctant to leave Hawaii. We continue to fly west on our journey, so sadly, we'll have to re-connect another time. I'll pass on those Hawaiian hugs!
  • vergenewmedia
    Becky, glad we met too! Jeff and Chris are a couple of very cool guys and love how they're pushing the limits of live video and how it is used. Thank you for visiting the blog!
  • Mahalo nui for the dinner invite last nite Jim. I was thrilled to share the evening with the pool, and hope you all get back to HNL soon. My world grows when I meet people from different backgrounds, and am grateful for the abilities we have now to make new friends fast from far outside our usual tribes and circles. More discussion on Beach Walk #429 which I am uploading as I type this. If you're inclined, pass on some Hawaiian hugs for me!

    Aloha, Rox
  • Jim, I'm so glad to have just met you at the Pulver/Brogan live video. Your stories are fascinating, and I'm eager to hear more of your perspective from this intersection of old and new media.
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