Bringing together the brightest minds of new television

I just booked my travel to the fall Video on the Net Confernence in Boston. I’m very excited because the spring conference in San Jose was a great opportunity for me to connect with key players in this emerging ecosystem. Once again, looks like the best and brightest will be attending this one too. For those of you who missed it, here’s a look a back at VON ’07, San Jose.

It was fun meeting my neighbors last night and explaining “I have a TV station in my pocket.” That got wonderful stares.
Robert Scoble – Twitter/@scobleizer

Meanwhile, CBS Interactive’s purchase of online show Wallstrip has validated internet video as a vital component of a web content business model. That deal has received a lot of attention, as more and more content creators look to ink agreements with big media companies. So it’s no surprise that once again, VON will be well attended by reps from companies like NBC Universal (my current employer), AOL, Washington Post Newsweek Interactive, Turner Broadcasting, Spark Capital, Akami.. and the list goes on. Video on the Net will be another huge opportunity for me, and for anyone in this space, to network with key industry leaders and get a better idea of what’s on the horizon.

“Digital” media initiatives vs. listening, conversation, and the social web

I often hear about this media comany’s “digital media initiative”, or that this person is in charge of “digital efforts”. If you’re just thinking digital, I think you’re missing the point. I recently attended a seminar at my alma mater American University entitled: PHOTOJOURNALISM: Surviving the Digital Challenge. Overall, there was great discussion, but I heard no mention of engaging audiences in conversation and using video as the starting point. Hosted by the White House News Photographer’s Association and AU’s School of Communication, it was a useful and informative discourse on the imperative for photojournalists to think of themselves more as content creators and less as media workers, and an examination of the internet as a key distribution channel.

Video journalism messiah and media raconteur Michael Rosenblum keynoted, and with no hyperbole, described shifts in media today as world-changing as Gutenburg’s printing press. He and I may not agree on everything, but on this, he’s dead right.

Michael Rosenblum “weighs” the merits of specializaton

While talented, smart media makers can hope to define themselves as bridge-builders between old and new media – integral to a media company charting a course into new territory – I’m personally not banking on it. I’m smack in the middle of this sea change in media, as the diminishing value proposition of a career as network news cameraman thrusts me into the empowering, enriching world of social media. While the “digital challenge” is an important discussion, nothing was really mentioned about video as conversation agent on the Social Web. The “social” part of this is often more of a challenge for traditional media companies. Social requires what VON organizer Chris Brogan deftly outlines as listening.

I think video can and should be an important part of a media company’s SOCIAL web efforts. That’s precisely why I’m attending Video on the Net, to build my personal brand, measure my media strategies with , connect with key industry leaders, and re-connect with the rock stars of internet video.

Veil of Secrecy

I was editing a video in my home office when the call came in. The caller ID showed the number for the NBC News desk..that’s never good on a day off. On the other end was my deputy bureau chief. In cryptic, enigmatic language, she was telling me that me our departure schedule for the President’s trip to Australia had changed. What she never actually said, but i heard loud and clear, was that the President of the United States was going to Iraq.

And so an otherwise languid day off before an overseas trip, quickly became an urgent day of preparation. On this trip, I was assigned as soundman to veteran NBC News cameraman Rodney Batten. With us were NBC White House correspondent John Yang and Senior White House producer Antoine Sanfuentes, plus uplink engineers from our New York technical operations department. We actually loaded a satellite transmission pack on Air Force One, which we believe is unprecedented.

Jim Long and Rodney Batten

Because of operational security, none but the “travel pool” are given even limited details of the trip. As far as the news desk at NBC knew, Air Force One was departing on Monday. So as the NBC pool team was about to enter the base under a cloak of secrecy Sunday, an assignment editor dutifully called us with our Monday “in-time”. As some of my readers know, I’ve had a close call in Iraq, so I’m never too jazzed about going over there. But if there were ever the safest time and place in Iraq, this was it. Still I was glad to be getting it out of the way at the beginning of the trip.

We met on Andrews Air Force base at an unusual location, where a security detail confiscated all of our cameras, phones, and computers. All of us were then taken to a special hangar on base that houses the two 747′s primarily designated Air Force One. Seeing those two birds looming above, facing nose-to-nose, as we drove into the hangar was an inspiring sight. Once all the travel pool press had boarded we were sealed in our cabin. We were told to keep the windows shut on the plane and to remain in the press cabin. The president was secreted out of the White House in what we later learned was a small, two car motorcade package.

Wheels Up to Iraq

After an hour or so of sitting in the hangar, we could feel that we were being towed. And at 20:05 we were wheels up for Iraq. Press secretary Dana Perino came to the back of the plane to “gaggle” about the details of our trip. That’s when the destination was confirmed: Al Asad airbase in Anbar province. Reporters pressed her on whether Bush was actually on the plane or not. Turns out he was, as was Secretary of State Rice.

White House spokesperson Dana Perino briefing press on AF-1

After a twelve hour flight, Air Force One gently touched down at the Al Asad air base in the Anbar province of Iraq. Mr. Bush stepped off the plane to begin a day full of meetings, some for cameras, others not. The President met with troops, his cabinet, local tribal leaders, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (I errantly refer to him as “President” in the video.) It was was a seemingly endless day of photo-ops, motorcade movements, and absolutely no time to spare.

Air Force One on the Flight Line at Al Asad

Katie Couric of CBS News

In a brief break in the action during closed meetings we were escorted to a “hold” where we bumped into Secretary Gates’ traveling press pool and former NBC colleague Katie Couric. It was a nice little reunion and she introduced us to her new boss, CBS evening news executive producer Rick Kaplan. Kaplan was acting as her second camera crew shooting with a small DV camera. The day was capped with a series of one on one interviews with the President and TV networks. We were then rushed to the motorcade, then out to the plane to begin our journey to Australia.

The entire time I was there, I was desperate to get some dispatches from Iraq out on Twitter. Newsweek photographer Khue Bui kindly offered up his powerbook so i get some tweets out. It was great to get such kind thoughts and well-wishes from the Twitter community. I’m still going through replies, but it buoyed my spirits to see that folks wanted to make sure I was safe. That really meant a lot to me. Like I’ve said before, no matter where I am in the world, I’m never traveling alone.

POST TRIP HAZE

that’s me on the left getting a shot of Secretary boarding her plane in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Days after I’ve unpacked my luggage, off-loaded the gear, and generally adjusted to this time zone, I still find myself in a bit of a post Mid-East trip haze. Just a week ago, I embarked on a trip with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to the Middle East. I was the US TV pool camera for the journey that included stops in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories.

Not only are the trips physically grueling, but they pack so many stops in so few days that the entire experience is a blur. There are always memorable moments though. After a refuel stop in Shannon, Ireland we arrived in Sharm El Sheikh where Rice met with Gulf state leaders and Egyptian President Hosni Mubuarak. It was that meeting with Mubarak that cemented my street credz as a “seasoned” photojournalist.

Egyptian photo ops are by far, the most insane crushes of humanity i’ve ever encountered. Think Who concert. It’s amazing that no camera crews aren’t trampled to death entering these meetings for 30 seconds of shooting. In the first photo op, I held my own, but a bunch of Egyptian press elbowed and squeezed past me. No problem.. so those are the ground rules eh??

Gates, Rice, Mubarak in Sharm El Sheikh

On the Mubarak photo-op, I decided that I would be the first camera in the room, and I enforced that decision in vigorous fashion, shall we say. We all got stuck in the doorway, but finally with a strong final push I broke through and got in. Well, seems as though the Egyptian press were not at all pleased with my determination and cried foul to our Embassy representative. Oh Mary please! Look… if you’re going to dish it out you’d BEST be able to take it! The don’t fly me all around the world NOT to get the picture.

“When the Egyptians complain about you.. it means you were doing your job.”
- Israeli cameraman

Later at stops in both Israel and the Palestinian Territories, my counterparts in camera there confirmed that the Egyptian photographers were, bar none, the most ruthless. An Israeli cameraman remarked that that when the Egyptian crews complain about you: “It means you were doing your job!” As i did an end run around the same camerman, to get into a photo op later, he jokingly remarked: “no wonder the Egyptians complained about you! How did you get in front of me!?”

What can I say… it’s a gift.

Here’s the TV Pool team. Front row, L-R: me, CBS correspondent Kimberly Dozier, Back row, L-R: NBC soundman Johnnie Roth, NBC State Department producer Libby Leist

This picture was taken as we motorcaded to the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We’re reminded of the instability of the region at every stop along the trip. Each motorcade vehicle, including this one we’re seen riding in here, is heavily armored top to bottom. So much so that the strain on the engines caused by the weight is evident. Having had a very close call myself in Baghdad a few years ago, the potential for danger is always in the back of my mind. Bulletproof glass, armor plate, and automatic weapons sitting on the floorboards are just reminders of the risk.

Imagine then, the courage of colleague, and traveling TV companion Kimberly Dozier. Dozier was gravely wounded and nearly killed in a car bomb attack last summer that took the lives of CBS cameraman Paul Douglas, soundman James Brolan, a US soldier, and an Iraqi interpreter. This was the first time I had met Kimberly, but I’d met Paul in Europe and had worked with him on Presidential trips a number of times, so the attack struck close to home for me. I was hesitant at first to ask her about her recovery and her recall of the incident, but toward the end of the trip I found that she was very open about it. Aside from being a lovely person, I truly admire her courage. She dropped off the trip in Ramallah to do some stories from the region. Frankly, if I had gone through what she had, I’d be enjoying my retirement. I hope to get to work with her again some day.

MAINTAINING VIDEO SILENCE

Click To Play

Let’s just say i was “discouraged” from doing a video blog of this trip, so I’m only able to give you a video appetizer here. Because of my video efforts on my trip around the world with Defense Secretary Gates, other networks complained that my video blog material should be distributed to the pool. NBC complied of course, but for the life of me, I can’t imagine that my mini DV footage will do anything other than sit on a shelf. It never occured to me that what amounted to an innocuous travelogue, would stir up controversy. On this Mid East trip, Rice was joined by Secretary Gates. The traveling Pentagon press confided to me that there are now new ground rules about blogging on the Secretary’s plane. Essentially there will be none of it. So for now, I’ll have to contain my video blogging to non-pool assignments.

boarding the Secretary of State’s plane

Today I embark on a decidedly old-media journey. I’m heading to the Middle East with the Secretary of State, that will include stops in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, and the West Bank. Once again NBC is VIP pool for this trip, which means we represent all of the US TV networks.

On this trip, I won’t be doing any video blogging. On the last trip, there was concern expressed by some of the other networks that my mini-DV footage wasn’t immediately distributed to the pool. NBC did distribute the video, and for the life of me, I cant’ imagine that my blog video will do anything other than sit in libraries unused. So for now, I’ll maintain video silence.

Besides I’ve brought work to do on the plane. It’s a long flight, and Chris Brogan reminds me that I’ve got plenty of work to do!

Sadly the NBC News family received horrifying news today. Friend, colleague, and former producer for Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams, Eric Wishnie, was killed in an accident in New York City early this morning. I’d worked with Eric on many occasions, always on extremely high pressure jobs involving anchors, Presidents, and other VIP’s. Despite the pressure cooker environment of these assignments, Eric was always extremely generous and thoughtful. I can tell you from years in the biz, at that level you don’t have to be kind. It’s just the few remaining PROS who are.

So that’s all from the flight line of Andrews AFB. The Secretary of State is on her way. Next stop, the Middle East.

video blogging tools of the trade

So is this your idea of fun? Are you a political junkie? Are you good at multi-tasking? Do you work well with liltte or no sleep? If the answer to ALL of these questions is “yes”, I suggest you look into a once-in-a-lifetime (or once every four years at least) journalism opportunity.

NBC News, along with partner The National Journal, recently announced plans to embed video journalists in the campaigns of Presidential candidates. NBC News chief Steve Capus describes the benefits of this intimate access.

There is nothing like being there, up close and personal, when it comes to covering a presidential election, and this allows us to be there in a very big way. Our team of reporters on the road with the candidates will be in a unique position to report all aspects of this dynamic story for every single one of our platforms

- Steve Capus, President, NBC News

Candidates for these coveted positions should expect to sleep very little, work very hard, and keep up with a very demanding production schedule in terms of posting video, audio, photographs and text. Additionally these embeds will be expected to be the editorial eyes and ears of NBC News, providing extensive and accurate coverage of the campaign and the candidates. Make no mistake… this is VERY difficult work. I know, becuause i recently provided this type of coverage for the NBC Nightly News blog as we circumnavigated the globe covering the Secretary of Defense. It is grueling, punishing work, and I know from experience that Presidential campaigns are particularly draining.

Having said that, there is a unique opportunity for some great online storytelling here. While some have suggested that I have the specific qualifications to take on such an assignment, I suspect that they’re not as interested in someone who gets overtime for this job. If they’re smart, they will look at forward-thinking photographers not just, eager poli-sci majors who can find the on off switch on a DV camera. Technology is only as good as the artisans and storytellers it empowers.

Interestingly NBC News and the National Journal are entering a field already already alive with online journalists, bloggers, and vloggers, either positioned to give them a run for their money or, if nothing else, provide useful technical and editorial perspective.

When I first heard of these openings, I first thought of friend and colleague Amani Channel, not because I think he could do the job, but because he IS doing the job. Check him out!

Click To Play

Former ABC producer and Atlanta blogger Grayson Daughters has been covering Georgia politics on her blog, bringing her delightfully unique personality and rapier sharp wit to her video blogging efforts.

A-list blogger Jeff Jarvis of Buzzmachine is, is building a small political media empire, launching his Prezvid site having seen the revolutionary implications of a “YouTube” campgaign.

Video blogging pioneer Steve Garfield has been pushing the envelope of empowering video technology for years. Most recently, he’s been using bleeding edge live video tools to broadcast live video from his Nokia N95 from far-flung reaches of the globe using platforms such as Ustream, Kyte, Operator11, BlogTV, and Comvu. Hmmm, the press bus will never be the same again. I don’t have details of what technology NBC is empowering these emeds with, but I’m sure he’d be more than happy to share his vast knowledge.

Ultimately the technology is just a tool. It’s the stories, and the people who tell them that make the difference. What these video journalists will offer is access.

Having this team of reporters on the trail with the candidates and their top staff day in and day out will provide our audience of political junkies with the inside stories and interesting tidbits that they otherwise would not get.

- John Fox Sullivan, Publisher and Chief Executive, National Journal Group

It’s important to note that these embedded video journalists will be just part of a much larger effort by NBC News to cover this wide open Presidential race. Ultimately, the news is covered by people not technology. It’s the people of NBC News that are the formidibale force that Polticial Director Chuck Todd brings to bear on NBC’s coverage.

The sheer volume for one thing… The fact that we’ll [be] so transparent about what we’re reporting… Both in print and thru video is something that will be unprecedented for a major news organization. It is revolutionary as far as a network is concerned.

- Chuck Todd, NBC News Political Director

Part of me thinks i should still apply for the job, just for grins, then watch them laugh as I slide my salary requirements across the table. What do you think? Should I apply?

Hey if you know any good candidtates or you think you’re one yourself, leave a link in the comments section!

editing the videoblog in DC coffee shop

It’s taken a trip to Crawford, Texas for me to find the time reflect on the tremendous response to the blogging, Twittering, and video blogging I did from my round-the-world trip with the Secretary of Defense. It was an endeavor that I can describe, with certain resignation, as Rosenblum-esqe, as I managed to do my network pool camera crew thing AND a sidebar videoblog. MSNBC.com ran my videoblog as a two-part series. Part one took us from DC to Singapore, and in Part two, we visited Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and France. Must-read TV industry blogs, TV Newser and Fishbowl DC both ran very nice posts on my efforts.

Jim Long shoots Defense Secretary Gates boarding CH-47

It was a long, arduous journey, but it was made much more pleasant by the community of friends that were with me every step of the way. I blogged and Twittered from the trip and was inspired by the great group of folks I’ve come to know through Twitter and other social media. Every time I checked my Twitters, I was struck by all of the messages of encouragement. I wonder what I would do without Twitter and my network of friends there. Recently a friend made this observation about all of these hyper-connected relationships that transcend time and space.

Isn’t it great (crazy) to feel so connected to people you’ve never met–cheering them on, giving/getting advice
-Twitter friend

This Twitter friend had really pointed out the strange duality of this Contiuous Partial Friendship (David Weinberger’s nod to Linda Stone’s critical theory on social media, Continuous Partial Attention) While I won’t delve into the pros and cons, it is both great and crazy, or curious at least, why people who’ve never met feel such affinity towards one another. People who I’ve never met genuinely care about what I’m doing, just as I care about them. This affinity, which Leisa Reichelt describes as Ambient Intimacy, helps us stay connected across time and space and build unique bonds using online social media tools.

that sense of connectedness that you get from participating in social tools online that allow you to feel as though you are maintaining and, perhaps in fact, increasing your closeness with people in your social network through the messages and content that you share online – be it photographs or text or information about upcoming travel.
-Leisa Reichelt

Deb Schultz lyrically describes this type of this type of hyper-connected online behavior as “weaving”. In this post she points out how this “weaving” will be crucial to businesses trying to stay relevant and successful in this environment where markets are growing faster and smarter than most companies.

Jon Swanson described how we create community and relationship with these tools.

Because of twitter, I learned of a guy named Jim Long. Jim is a camera guy for NBC news and twitters throughout his day. Recently he spent a week traveling around the world. He is producing a two-part video travelogue which is wonderful. Part one is here. What is so compelling is that he gives a human side to the people who are doing the media work and the government work. It is about relationship.
-Jon Swanson

In Hawaii, social media merged with social life, where Roxanne Darling of Beachwalk met up with the weary Pentagon press at Alan Wong’s restaurant in Honolulu. Roxanne was a delightful counterpoint to the old media guard. She videoblogged about our discussions on mainstream and emerging media

Beach Walks with Rox #439 – Take a Blogger to Work

Videoblogging pioneer Steve Garfield gave a nice hat tip to our efforts, as did colleague, contemporary, and wordsmith Stewart Pittman. Atlanta blogger and social media leader Grayson Daughters questioned the resources applied to shooting a bunch of far-flung photo-ops, and while, she does raise a valid point, I hope I have provided context in her comments section. My DC Media Maker posse wonders when i’m getting that promotion from NBC. I’ll wait for that Twitter from @CathleenRitt.

Connie Reece discussing social media with NBC News team

Back here in Crawford, social media merged once again with social life. Connie Reece of Every Dot connects – one of my Twitter friends – stopped by the White House Press TV workspace in Crawford for a mind-share between old media and new. It was really a pleasure to meet face to face with someone I’ve come to know on Twitter, and Connie is even more delightful in person that her online persona betrays. Nothing can beat the human connection of direct face to face human interaction, but I do believe all of these social media platforms can help create vital bonds. On my grueling round the world adventure, It was these relationships that truly buoyed me throughout the journey. We really all made that trip together. Thank you!

Midway through our round the world trip with Secretary of Defense Gates, we made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan. Arriving under the cover of darkness we landed in Kabul Sunday evening. We had switched from the E4B to a C-17 for our descent into Kabul. I’ve corkscrewed into BIAP a number of times so i’m familiar with combat landings in this aircraft. Still, when the red lights go on and the security guys don the armor plate, I’m reminded of just how dangerous a place like Afghanistan can be.

Gates arrives in Kabul

Gates’ plane touched down around 1930 local time, and we accompanied him to Camp Eggers. The Secretary had made on the record comments on the flight from Singapore, expressing cautious optimism about progress on the ground in Afghanistan, so traveling press headed right to the PAO to file their stories. We had to shoot a standup and take a voice track for CNN correspondent, Jamie McIntyre and then get the tape to a local “fixer” who would ship it to the feedpoint.

Jamie McIntyre, soundman Johnie Roth, Jim Long

Kabul nightlife

Afterwards, some of us unwound outside our housing talking with great young soldiers before we called it a night. While accommodations at the base weren’t quite as nice as the the Shangri-La we’d just left in Singapore, I slept well and was up at 0500.

Waiting to get a shot of Gates boarding his helo

Monday was a big day for the Secretary. Boarding helos, we choppered to Morehouse Commando Training Camp just on the outskirts of Kabul, where the first ever Afghan Special Operations Force battalion. We followed Gates as he reviewed the training and spoke with Afghan commanders. Afghan National Army Lt. Col. M. Farid Ahmadi spoke with Gates as he toured the training camp. He was very proud of the his men saying they were the best people for the job. CNN’s Jamie McIntyre interviewed him about the Army’s progress.

Jamie interviews Lt. Col. M. Farid Ahmadi

Then it was back on the helos to a flight back to the LZ in Kabul. Gates met with US commanders before we moved to the Presidential Palace, where the Secretary would later meet with President Hamid Karzai. Security at the palace is thorough to say the least. After being screened, we did the typical waiting associated with these types of events and then lined up for a shot of Gates arriving at the palace. Commander Greg Hicks had kindly pre-set my tripod for the joint press conference between Gates and Karzai, so my only challenge was positioning myself for the photo op with the two leaders.

This is all about a burst of pure physical speed up the stairs, elbowing past what seemed like 15 local camera crews. Good thing I’ve got a long stride! In the press conference Gates and Karzai touched on a number of topics ranging from reconstruction, to Afghanistan’s suppression of the Taliban’s rumored spring offensive, to Iran’s involvement with the emergence of sophisticated new IED’s.

Next, we were off to Kandahar in Southern Afghanistan, where the Secretary met privately with troops, to get “ground truth” from the boots on the ground – labeled as a free and open discussion about what works and what doesn’t. We were allowed what felt like 30 seconds for a photo op at the top. I think at this point in the trip the Secretary of Defense had grown tired of seeing me and more than once remarked in this photo op that as soon as they could speak freely (hint for me to leave!) they would begin the open dialogue.

I always try to eek out as much video as possible from these events and don’t like to try the principals patience. As much as the OSD bristles at comparisons between Rumsfeld and Gates, I must say this Secretary of Defense has yet to scowl at me. I’ve been to these events with Rumsfeld and at a very precise point in the photo op, Rumsfeld would shoot an unmistakable look at the camera crew, which unequivocally meant LEAVE THE ROOM.

We left Afghanistan that evening flying out of Kandahar on the C-17 that brought us there. This was my first trip to Afghanistan and it was a truly unique experience, but I am quite content that we’ve left and are on our way to Normandy for D-Day memorial ceremonies.

NBC producer Courtney Kube

At this point it’s important to note that, working to coordinate all of the logistics, update editorial elements, and generally make sure things run smoothly, is a tremendously hard-working, capable, and talented colleague of mine named Courtney Kube. Long after we’ve all gone to bed she’s on the phone coordinating satellite feeds, writing ediorial notes and doing it all with personality and energy that are miles long.

Flying from Asia to Europe, we’re watching Saving Private Ryan on the plane as I write this. Fitting as we gear up to cover the Secretary’s participation in D-Day ceremonies at Normandy.

Here’s what my traveling buddies filed From Kabul.

Mark Mazzetti, The New York Times

Kristin Roberts, Reuters

Peter Spiegel, The LA Times

Donna Miles, Armed Forces Press Service

Jamie McIntyre, CNN

Robert Burns, Associated Press

Ken Fireman, Bloomberg

Jim Mannion, AFP

Guy Raz, NPR

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.

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.

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.

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.

Can’t we all just get along? As two of my favorite foils, Michael Rosenblum and Jeff Jarvis were storming the gates of traditional TV at the NAB conference in Vegas, many of the journalists who actually do the “boots on the ground” work of TV news were in Blacksburg, VA, covering the worst single shooting rampage in American history.

There is no doubt that citizen journalism and social media played absolutely vital roles in bringing context, community and diverse viewpoints to this tragic event. I pointed out that the first person photojournalism of Jamal Albarghouti itself was historic and provided a chilling account of the shooting. I spoke to Jamal today by phone and, interestingly, he disagrees with Michael Rosenblum’s assertions about the future of TV news. Firstly, he doesn’t consider himself a journalist. More importantly, he considers the role of professional media crucial.

As for the role of citizen journalism and if it will replace traditional media,
I personally think that citizen journalism will indeed change traditional
media in sense that it will improve it. I think we will be seeing more and more
people taking videos about future news incidents. I think we might even come to
a point where we get more than one video for only one story. However, I do not
think that citizen journalism will by any mean replace traditional media (it
will just improve it). I think that people covering the news now (traditional
media) are professionals who know what they are doing. they tend to give a
wider prospective than a citizen journalist. For example, when the media came
here to VT, they talked to VT officials, police, families of the victims,
students and last, they were able to somehow show what the shooter was
thinking. I do not think that a citizen journalist alone would be able to give
such a picture but he or she would definitely help in doing so.
-Jamal Albarghouti

Traditional media was the ones getting all the facts and representing it to everyone all over the world. The tradtional media had the big picture of covering all the stories. Citizen journalists will have a bigger role but it won’t replace traditional media. We wil see more people getting video.
-Jamal Albarghouti

Jamal, a Palestinian, says it was his exposure to professional journalism while living in the West Bank, that gave him the courage to record the terrifying events of April 16th 2007. It’s interesting that he has such pragmatic view of his role while others hold him up as the future model of TV News.

i’m not a journalist, i just did this. i was there and i took the video. Traditional media was important, seeing how professionals worked allowed me to do what i did. i would’ve never thought of doing that at Virginia Tech.
-Jamal Albarghouti

The scorched earth screeds of both Jarvis and Rosenblum begin to ring hollow a bit. In fact, in Jarvis’ post he inadvertantly (I suspect) points out the dogmatic nature of Rosnblum’s rants.

At an RTNDA panel, my pal, panel star Michael Rosenblum, lectured executives and stars of local TV news about this implosion.
-Jeff Jarvis

From what I heard, “lecturing” is precisely what Rosenblum was engaged in. Lecturing is what someone with ALL the answers does. Rosenblum and Jarvis are both men of big ideas, who often speak in absolute terms. I’m always suspicious of people who speak in absolutes and don’t leave room for dissenting points of view. Winning the argument becomes more important than exchange of ideas an I don’t think that’s terribly productive.

Unlike strumpette, who has a very clever take on the citizen/social media movement, I believe that there is a place for the amateur. Unlike Jeff and Michael, I still believe there is a place for infrastructure. Having said that, both of them have a great many ideas to share, and many are right on the money. Traditional TV is certainly bending under the weight of its infrastructure, but you can print this: It ain’t going anywere. Will it change, even dramatically? Absolutely. Will it be replaced entirely by VJ’s and citizen journos? Highly unlikely.

Ultimately smart media companies will create a complementary blend of professinal and citizen. Rosenblum raises an issue that has remained hidden in the back of my mind for some time. How long can anchors contine to be paid 50 to 100 times more than the average network worker bee in a time where audiences are shifting to non linear content on the web, and revenue streams continue to fragment. I’m hesitant to even publicly loft such a notion, particularly since I’ll be working with Brian Willams, who I respect and admire a great deal, this coming Monday. But as the pie continues to shrink, big media will not be well served to continue coming after the earning capacity of its best and brightets workers.

Once again it’s people placing far too much faith in technology. Jeremiah Owyang of Podtech posted a video produced for Podtech client Topix discussing the problems wiht local news. Many of the interviews spoke of aggregators and feedback loops, but it was Craigslist’s Craig Newmark, that hit the nail on the head. What’s missing is more investigative journalism. And that folks, translates to people and time, which equals infrastructure. Rosenblum’s mantra is small cameras, which as Stewart Pittman points out in his dispatch from Blacksburg, can prove an astonishly poor storytelling tool, in some circumstances.

I couldn’t help but realize this as I watched a muttonchopped dude with a tricked-out consumer-cam, working the pack of mourning kids like he was shooting a concert. Too cool for sticks, he cradled his lens awkwardly in his upturned palms, jamming the damn thing repeatedly in the faces of sobbing freshmen.

Jack-ass…
-Lenslinger

Journalism is ultimately about hard working, dedicated people (read infrastructure). It is often a thankless undertaking whose particpants are often looked upon with disdain. Journalists sacrifice time with their families and risk their lives to practice their craft. I frankly don’t care if they’re professional or amateur. I do care if they have to the courage to seek out and tell the truth, despite how unpopular that truth may be.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE

DC Media Maker Andy Carvin, pointed me in the direction of a very interesting discussion about Jamal’s video and citizen journalism that took place at the DC Web Women’s web 2.0 panel. Andy provides some useful insights along with fellow DC Media Maker Jonny Goldstein. The video was shot and cut by Jill Foster (also DCMM)

As the largest collection of live trucks my colleagues and I had ever witnessed beamed images of the horrifying massacre at Virginia Tech, a live TV revolution was quietly happening on the internet.

Prompted by “always on” Justin.tv, suddednly everyone’s video had to be live. Tech evangelist Chris Pirillo was live streaming on Ustream, when news of an earthquake in Mexico fell in his lap. His live stream then became a source of information and communication about the quake. I managed to catch a bit of Robert Scoble driving to the Web 2.0 conference on his live Ustream feed. Jeff Pulver and Chris Brogan now have their own live show and Steve Garfield, on the cutting edge as always, has been going live via Comvu with his Nokia N95.

And now politicians have thrown their hats into the ring..so to speak. Ustream CEO Chris Yeh tells me that Senator Chris Dodd’s war room will be streamed live, using Ustream’s service, during the South Carolina Democratic Debates. So while Jeff Jarvis is miffed at NBC for “stealing” tonight’s debate, at least one of the candidates will provide a unique, behind-the scenes live view.

The current fascination with live video is very interesting to me. It is extremely empowering to be “live” in the “right now” of the moment. Live is a call to action. But what makes Ustream’s live video platform unique is the interactivity. It’s one to many and many to one. Here Chris Pirillo and Robert Scoble talk about how the audience interactivity is real value in live video. DISCLOSURE!!: I did NOT NOT shoot this video. It’s a wee bit shaky, but it’s the content that counts.

My first experience with transmitting live video was some 16 years ago, when I lofted the 60 foot aluminum mast of a WRC-TV live truck, while covering a grocery store shooting in Southeast DC. Flicking the switch on the 2Ghz transmitter from “standby” to “transmit” was enormously empowering…even magical. Since then I’ve transmitted live video, in the form of broadcast news, via microwave, satellite and fiber optics. I’m pretty jaded to being live at work (NBC News), and I grow restless being tied to a control room.

The notion of easy, live video, available to anyone with broadband and a camera, has really re-kindled that empowering feeling i first felt 16 years ago. I’ve been playing with Stickam for a few months now. It’s pretty cool but my “live” offerings are limited to video tours of my environs with an audience I’ve lured away from their Twittering.

I think the context of live is as important as the content. Frankly people sitting in front of webcams !!LIVE!! has a certain “so what” factor to it. Integrating the live video experience into real time events of significance is where this tecnhology will shine. Right now most of us are experimenting and doing it because we can (and that’s fun!). Where we’ll see growth and the real value of live is when it’s used in the proper context.

Earlier today I spoke with Ustream’s acting CEO, Chris Yeh, he agreed with me that the “always on” model of live internet TV would wain in favor of live in some type of context. Yeh believes Ustream wins, echoing the thoughts of Pirillo and Scoble, by its interactivity.

What’s special about Ustream is the interactivity. In traditional
broadcasting, even traditional live broadcasting, there is no interaction.
And in the end, people crave interaction. Just look how many telephone
votes are cast on American Idol each week. Ustream lets the viewers
interact with each other. Even more importantly, it lets them interact with
the broadcaster. This makes the viewers real participants in the broadcast,
and gives the broadcaster instant feedback to help improve the show.
-Chris Yeh

It will be interesting to see how the use of live web video evolves. It already has critics. Mathew Ingram asks: “how much is too much?” Brian Solis points out that, while on the surface it appears that “narcissism” is the driving factor of this technology, “live” has much more value beyond that. I believe we will see tremendous value from live streaming video. Imagine if Jamal Albarghouti had been able to stream live video from his phone during the Virginia Tech shootings. The potential for video journalism is huge, both for independant and mainstream media.

So fellow media makers, how does live video fit into your media toolkit?