Don't Try This At Home

Posted January 07, 2020

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We are great fans of personal authorship in video journalism.

We are not great fans of sticking the reporter into every story in what is traditionally called the stand up.

Reporters have no business in a piece, but they have every reason to take credit for their work, much as a print reporter does this with a byline.

When you get rid of the camera person, the sound person (if there still is one) and the editor, not to mention the field producer - whatever that is - you get a journalist with an iPhone. 

This is then their story. 

Totally.

From start to finish.

And so they are entitled to take credit for it - all of it.

We do this with on camera opens.

What really works well is when the reporter knows what they are talking about.  

A great sports reporter should both have a personal passion for sports and know the field.  Nikki Kay, Spectrum1 LA's Sports Reporter is an MMJ who fills the bill completely.

Take a look at both the open and the story that she reported here.

The opens says very clearly to the viewer, I know what I am talking about. I am not a 'hair and teeth' on air reporter.  I am a journalist with a deep understanding of the story you are about to see.

Works for me. And clearly works for Spectrum1.

Congrats.