Archive notice: This article was originally published on August 20, 2003. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Hessischer Rundfunk (hr) is doing pioneering work: as the first broadcaster in Germany, it is introducing ‘video journalists’ on a large scale. Behind this term lies the new all-round job that also demands cameraman and editor skills from the reporter. For this purpose, hr equips each video journalist with a digital DV camera and a laptop from Dell (Latitude 840) on which the nonlinear editing system Avid Xpress DV 3.5 is installed. Another 10 Avid Xpress DV systems serve hr as service and project units.
After training on Avid’s postproduction tool, video journalists can edit their footage at any location. This gives hr additional cameras on the street, significantly increases its editing capacity and ultimately saves expensive and scarce Beta capacity. The audience benefits because reporting becomes even more mobile and colorful through the use of video journalists.
The long-standing experienced Avid partner Media Online GmbH advised the broadcaster in selecting the appropriate postproduction tool and is now helping to introduce the new technology at hr.
The BBC was the first major television broadcaster in Europe to recognize the advantages of mobile video reporters and had trained 270 employees as video journalists to date. They achieved outstanding results after completing just a three-week course. The model has since become established, so the BBC expects enormous growth in this area.
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