So after a day of being told what video on the web isn’t and how journalism isn’t ready. I think I’m hearing two ways of looking at this.

  • Video is an internal strategic solution. It allows broader coverage in a dis-aggregated media world
  • Video is a way to enhance your storytelling to engage with your audience who attract advertising.

If I was playing devils advocate then I would say that the rub is both of those have difficult ‘return on investment’ issues.

If you take option one then you will find the time it takes to get people up to speed and producing, re-org your newsroom and put technology in place is woefully out of step with your shareholders ROI expectations.

If you take option two then the time it takes it takes to get people up to speed and producing, re-org your newsroom and put technology in place, sell ads and then educate your audience to it’s presence so they give you the clicks is woefully out of step with your shareholders ROI expectations.

A bit of pickle that one.

Sitting in a room of senior managers it’s clear that a lot of people are looking for an answer to number one. Some, thank God, see theme two as an issue. But no one is talking about the in between.

The people who inhabit this in between are the journalists and the audience. In the terms I’ve heard today, assets to be deployed. I’ve heard lots of talk of expectation but little of training. Lots of stuff about pull rather than push but little about engagement.

Still. There is tomorrow to come.