Me sitting at the news desk for Elon News Network at Elon University in Elon, NC. I interviewed there for the Honors program and the Communications Fellowship, and was awarded both!
Introduction
Given that this was the first year we were given an online platform, I prioritized establishing a web presence more than entering the realm of multimedia, outside of my photo essays, which were a resounding success (See: Photojournalism). As much as I would have loved to be able to create shorts, have broadcasts and do podcasts, we had a few problems with doing so.
The first one, and the big one, is that there is only so much we can do with our current infrastructure. Our inaugural year of web presence has been restricted to just a website – no Vimeo, YouTube or social media. As such, the ability to do multimedia work is limited. Thankfully, our growth this year has opened the door for future expansions, and my administrators and teachers are absolutely thrilled to grow this.
In this section, while I will not be able to present any clips or artifacts of current broadcast journalism, I am excited to outline what our future may hold with expanding into broadcast journalism and social media packages.
Investing in the Future
I am incredibly grateful to have been named the H.L. Hall Outstanding Student Journalist of the Year for Tennessee, which not only qualifies me for this competition, but also allocates funding for me to use at my volition.
I have invested an immense amount of time and energy into this publication, but I also see the value in procuring some gear for my staff to utilize next year to venture into multimedia.
On the right are a selection of items I have pulled out of wishlists for my staff for next year.
In general, I can see the creation of a platform for broadcast media at my school going this way, and providing the following benefits:
1. The establishment of a Youtube or Vimeo account for us to publish videos on, and a social media page to create shorts.
This will entail to an expansion of our multimedia, and potentially our staff to open new positions to better workflow.
2. Teaching opportunities on photography/videography.
My staff already has a curated photography guide; as such, we will need to work on videography resources.
3. Submission of work for critiques.
Trailblazing a new form of media at my school would likely be rough in the beginning, but garnering feedback would allow us to better understand a different side of journalism than a traditional print/web format.
Put the case we really want to get into broadcast, I would recommend my younger writers invest in a videography camera such as this one. The ZV-E10 is famous for its user-friendly nature, and won't break the bank. Furthermore, Sony E Mount has plentiful lenses that can work with it; many are affordable.
A shotgun microphone that is both affordable and highly rated. Audio can make or break a broadcast!
A gimbal for phone videography. DJI usually makes trustworthy equipment that, when paired with an app like the Blackmagic Camera, can be a formidable combination.
