Video: Another way to tell stories

In the past year, newspapers have discovered video in a big way. Clearly, many newspaper websites see video as a storytelling device and a way to reach more readers (or viewers). An article. in the American Journalism Review points out that quality is spotty, but newspapers are getting better at video. As students in a traditional reporting class, some of you groaned when you found out you would be asked to do video stories. If you have any doubts about the power of video as a way to tell stories, check out some of the papers that are doing it well. Close to home, The Detroit Free Press has become a leader in video on its website. The newspaper won its first national Emmy award for a video on Michigan soldiers in Iraq. And video storytelling is not limited to large newspapers. Look at the video stories on the .Naples Daily News website, a Florida paper that was an early adapter. The AJR article points out that veteran journalists have become video believers when they've done a story with video and sound and witnessed the reaction from readers. Some stories are simply better suited to video. Read what the Washington Post reporter says in the AJR report about the reaction to his video story on the violinist. And if that's not enough to convince you, note what the AJR article says about the growth in multimedia jobs for journalists. Bottomline: Learning video adds to your storytelling arsenal and makes you more marketable. It's a skill that you should try to master, with or without the help of a class.