SterlingNorth 33 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 If we're going to be stuck in last place, we might as well realize the cost savings it will bring us!  The march of technology and the shrinking economy [and the dubious distinction of being the last place station in news] are beginning to take a toll on the traditional means of television news-gathering: the TV news crew. Under a new agreement reached this week with its labor unions, WUSA, Channel 9, will become the first station in Washington to replace its crews with one-person "multimedia journalists" who will shoot and edit news stories single-handedly.  Competitors are paying close attention. Another Washington station, WRC, Channel 4, is expected to begin phasing multimedia journalists into its newsroom later next year as part of a sweeping cost-cutting effort by its parent, NBC Universal. WJLA, Channel 7, has already used some of the work of multimedia reporters employed by NewsChannel 8, the cable station that is owned by the parent of WJLA, Allbritton Communications. A fourth local news station, WTTG, Channel 5, said it has no immediate plans to do something similar. "We believe strongly that [this change] will raise both the quality and quantity of the product we're putting out" on TV and on the internet, said Allan Horlick, the president and general manager of WUSA, in an interview yesterday. "The concept of a multimedia journalist, having his own beat, with an area of expertise, and a limitless virtual news desk is something we can get very excited about."  That Allan Horlick, always the comedian! Hey, we can even promote it in the opens. "The first and only station in HD ShakyCam, this is Nine News Now!" Still, as we enter our glorious Great Depression 2.0, we best learn to survive on less. Besides, we'll get our news from blogs soon enough anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestbiteme 13 Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 VJs for WUSA. The beginning of the middle of the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjohnson 15 Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 We've got three at KSDK in St. Louis. They aren't terrible, but you can see the lack of the synergy between a photog and a reporter. Two heads are are always better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnchorManNick 0 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 We work as OMB's for the most part at my school...so hopefully that training will help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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