How You Can Help

We're on the verge of launching the beta version of KOBREGUIDE.COM, our online guide to the Web's best video and multimedia journalism -- or, as we call it, the Web's most moving stories -- and we're hoping you'll take the opportunity NOW to submit your favorite candidates...

This project is an antidote to comprehensive Web video portals, such as YouTube and MetaCafe... We're focusing instead on handpicked, high-quality documentary-style journalism that is being produced primarily by major media outlets -- and frustratingly difficult for consumers to find...

We're a "curated" site (to use the latest buzzword, now that "edited" seems to have lost favor), which means that we're relying on discerning eyes and ears of people like YOU (and not search engines or web bots) to help alert and point us to the creme de la creme ...

We've already located scores of prizeworthy multimedia gems to showcase at launch, and now we're soliciting input from smart folks like you, who are in a position to know about and share the good stuff out there...

Criteria? ... Think "60 Minutes" TV newsmagazine-style journalism (NOT daily news or event coverage) -- but geared for the Web... Mainly video, but also compelling audio-slideshows, or a hybrid thereof... Go to mediastorm.org to see excellent examples produced by our colleague Brian Storm...

In short: True (nonfiction) journalism Web multimedia stories of the highest professional quality...

Let's break it down:

1. True. Nonfiction. Not scripted or improv sitcom. Not America's funniest home videos.

2. Journalism -- meets professional standards and criteria, preferably (but not necessarily) produced by reputable major media news outlet... NOT daily news stories or events coverage, but rather feature pieces, probably with multiple sources/voices and possibly (but not necessarily) narration...

3. Must be on the Web (preferably created exclusively for the Web -- i.e. not previously aired on TV).

4. Includes video and/or audio slideshow -- i.e. compelling moving images. May include other cutting-edge multimedia elements, BUT ultimately video and/or photographs tell the story (not just charts, graphs, maps, illustrations)... And not just captioned photogalleries ...

5. Documentary stories -- not news event coverage, but rather "60 Minutes" TV newsmagazine-style pieces with a beginning, middle, end... interesting characters... and moral or point of view.... NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT let the word "documentary" dissuade you from seeking and submitting lighthearted fare ; topics/themes need not be dreary...

6. Professional quality -- the still and/or moving images, audio, writing, editing and storytelling must meet the journalism industry's highest professional standards...

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WHAT TO DO:

1. If you know anyone who is developing or producing Web multimedia journalism, please put us in touch with them... (kenkobre at gmail.com)

2. If you know of a media outlet that regularly produces top-notch Web multimedia journalism (e.g. a metro newspaper site), please email us its URL... (kenkobre at gmail.com)

3. If you come across any individual examples of these kinds of pieces in your Web travels, either previously or in the future, please email us the URL (or, if you don't remember where you saw it, even a short description would help us locate it)... (kenkobre at gmail.com)

All we need is a URL, but it would be helpful to also have: Name of Website; title of piece; brief description; why you like it and/or think it is meritorious... First submitters will be credited on the site, along with their comments...

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BOTTOM LINE: As major media companies are migrating their resources from print and broadcast to their online ventures, multimedia journalism stories are coming into their prime on the Web... Little by little, truly excellent work is starting to blossom and flourish -- the problem is, who has time to hunt for it?...

With your help, we will provide the quintessential daily guide to the best the medium has to offer, so that you don't have to wade through a swamp of video nonsense to get to the good stuff...

PLEASE pass along this request to everyone you know whose intelligence and good taste will help fuel this quest...