UK Video Journalism Timeline - Gonzo approach

The Daily Telegraph shows David and group around their studios with a fascinating Q and A from delegates. David will post that feature in the future.

On my way to WAN to talk about video journalism, a post that wraps up a broad project I have been building.

Video Journalism is about 14 years old in the UK

That much you would have gleaned from previous posts here.

And it's had fits and starts launches elsewhere, but unequivocally it's the long haul now and the ghosts of video journalism 1994 are causing real havoc to economic business models.

So here's my time line, with accompanying clips on Viewmagazine.tv. Click the words e.g. BBC, below the date time line to activate video clips

1994 Channel One TV - the promo to launch Channel One TV, with VJs using beta camera. I remember being the last person to be interviewed for the station, having just arrived from a stint as associate producer ABC News ( South Africa) freelance reporting for the BBC World Service

1997 C4 News - I was a regular freelance at Channel 4, where as a Videojournalist, I was more or less a second unit camera.

ITN was also trying out VJs as camera operators. In 1999 the clip showing I went back to South Africa to make a feature piece for Channel 4 News about the second general election. I shot that on a digi beta and vx1000.

1998 S. Africa - Former head of CNN/ Turner Africa Edward Boateng, a highly influential figure in African media, called me up. What we spoke about was one of the most radical and adventurous ideas in African broadcasting, and I believe we pulled it off.

Several journalists from Africa were destined for their first foreign trip to South Africa for a special one of programme made over a week.

Edward and I saw an opportunity and instead of one 1hour programme, I came back with 7 1 hours.

Before setting of for South Africa I'd arranged for two/three VX1000s to be delivered to our hotel.

That evening the group learned how to basically shoot in three hours.

2000/1 Washington DC/ NY - I'm in the US. By now I have become an independent producer working at an ad agency. But I have an interview in the US, which leads to an idea which BBC 3 show an interest. It involves interviewing James Woolsey, former head of the CIA (93-95) and a senior officer.

2001 BBC - The BBC's Nations and Regions, as opposed to BBC News and Current Affairs, adopts video journalism. Interviewing Channel 4 senior exec Stuart Cosgrove, C4 loses out to the BBC for the services of the father of Video journalism, Michael Rosenblum. No video clip here but an article for a highly rated magazine, Creation, which I'll post soon.

I have missed out a number of moments till 2005: Videojournalism with Lennox Lewis, Deep diving expedition in Gallipoli, and Nato's war programme - which all contribute to a first place prize at the Batten Awards for Innovation.

2005 PA Regional Press - Britain's regional newspapers take the plunge and video journalism now becomes part of newspaper's arsenal. The film of the videojournalists going through an exercise wins the international video journalism award for an independent in Berlin.

2006 In the summer, someone who has since become a good friend from the Wemedia summit. invites me to Cairo.
We have a unique opportunity to showcase what it can do.

We enter the state broadcasters studios - a rarity

Tarek is pleased: they would like to adopt video journalism

2007 FT - At an Online News Association meeting I swap ideas with the FT, who are busily transforming their outfit into a multimedia powerhouse.

The Telegraph's super trainee multimedia journalists exchange ideas at a Press Association gathering.

2008 Chicago - My Smart lab research looking at aspects of video journalism and multimedia is one of the excuses that leads me to spend a few days with Robb Montgomery's Visual Editors and some senior media folk in Chicago.

I produce my first blog butterfly in which a number of super bloggers from around the world will field questions to the BBC's head of multimedia newsrooms, Peter Horrocks. 9 interviewees hosted on a multimedia platform, with a behind-the-scenes shoot by an ex-student and wonderful VJ Don Omope

20xx Future- This video talks up IMVJ Integrated multimedia videojournalism.

There will be no distinction soon between media. You'll just do it - an integrated approach, that will yield any number of cycles of data.

What's next? Some metaverse stuff, and what I have wanted to build using the film Minority Report as the foundation, an outernet system - as seen on Apple

Videojournalism wanted

Just got a message on my phone from a national broadcaster with a project for a VJ that involves three continents.

Sadly, I can't do it - other commitments so if you're a VJ based in the UK and up for it, drop a comment with a link back to your work and I'll have the producer look it over or if you want privacy email david(at)mrdot.co.uk

My guess cuz of the travel etc, you're going to have to be experienced. One of the locations is in an African state where filming on the street attracts the wrong sort of attention and could get you easily arrested.

Also you're most likely be working with a producer, and ex producer back in London, so you'll have tobe good at taking and executing briefs.

It'll probably be exciting and hair raising and pay decently - though I don't have any figures.

Go on. You'll dine out on this for years