Animated News to the Rescue? No!

What fresh hell is this?

Animated news stories?

The new savior of journalism?

Just because the Taiwanese company Next Media Animation has attracted a lot of eyeballs by turning news stories into cartoons doesn't mean it's journalism.

Movies "based on true stories" are still fictionalized re-imaginings of real events -- and not to be confused with the real thing.

Triply true for these over-the-top Asian renderings of real people in fantasy scenarios.

Despite what this Time.com video (below) and accompanying story imply, just because these are situations that weren't captured by cameras or videocameras does not forgive the bizarre distortions of reality under the guise of "news."



Next Media Animation first gained notoriety in the U.S. by animating the supposed scuffle between Tiger Woods and his wife. It depicted her bashing in his car with a golf club -- an incident which both say never happened.

It's gotten much worse since then, with truly cartoonish vignettes of characters ranging from Lindsay Lohan in the slammer to Julian Assange in the sack. To call them journalistically unreliable and unbalanced would be a massive understatement.

This is a black eye for visual journalism. When it comes to depicting truth, and not what Stephen Colbert sarcastically dubbed "truthiness," there is no substitute for cameras and videocameras. Animated news? We're not buying it.

Enroll Now for Momenta's Project India 2011

Received this update from Momenta Workshops director Jamie Rose, on its Project India 2010:

Jacquelyn Martin, a photojournalist with the Associated Press in Washington, DC., tirelessly covered not one but three nonprofits while in India and created a multimedia piece highlighting her documentary work with a small nonprofit ashram for young girls.

Jacquelyn's journalistic tenacity prompted her to record audio, write a word story, produce a slideshow and pitch it to her editors back in the States. Her hard work paid off when a multimedia piece was published [and] recieved an award from NPPA, was seen by thousands of readers and online viewers and helped to create awareness for an important issue facing young girls in India.

Go here to watch her "To Stand on Their Own: Indian Ashram for Girls" (pictured above):

Momenta Workshops specializes in pairing small groups of visual journalists with NGOs and nonprofits on trips around the world to create multimedia projects that raise awareness of regional and global issues.

Project India 2011 is January 30 to February 12, 2011. Only 7 slots are left for this workshop and they are going fast, so register now to secure your place.

Come with us to work with some of the varied NGOs and nonprofits that have helped shape India's development projects over the last 50 years. Learn the skills necessary to work successfully and profitably with these organizations in one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth.

We work with NGOs of varying specialization from agriculture to health care in the Northern city of Dehradun, India. While photographing at the foothills of the Himalayas, workshop attendees will be given the task of creating a compelling visual or multimedia narrative in conjunction with their assigned nonprofit. Each nonprofit assignment is chosen based on an extended questionnaire from each student on their goals for the workshop and their own personal photographic vision.

More info here.

KobreGuide & KobreChannel Hit 500

This week KobreGuide and its accompanying blog KobreChannel mark individual milestones.

They've each surpassed the 500 mark.

Launched in October 2008, KobreGuide now showcases more than 500 video and multimedia stories. KobreChannel has similarly published more than 500 blog items -- most of them still surprisingly timely.

You can browse KobreGuide by CHANNEL or TOPIC. If you've got a little extra time, peruse our "GOT AN HOUR?" section for longer videos.

What many don't yet realize is that we archive hundreds of our best stories behind that HALL OF FAME navigation tab.

As always, we invite your feedback and suggestions -- and especially recommendations for excellent videojournalism we can share with our viewers.

Oh, and while we've got your attention -- be sure to join our KobreGuide Facebook Group. And don't forget to follow us on Twitter!

Take Momenta Workshops in Myanmar, India, Vietnam, New Orleans, South Africa

Momenta Workshops takes documentary photographers all over the world to teach them how to create powerful visual stories.

"We see photography as a communicator of ideas and emotions across a wide human audience. We seek to promulgate visual journalism and the arts as a mechanism of social change and a profitable venture into the future."

Momenta's upcoming slate of workshops includes trips to Myanmar (Burma), India, New Orleans, Vietnam and South Africa:

MYANMAR 2010: THE ART OF THE PHOTO STORY

This year, we'll be traveling to Myanmar during the period of October 17 - October 30, 2010. This period coincides with two major Buddhist holidays. First it is the close of Buddhist Lent. After three months of reflection and low-movement, the country "wakes-up" and takes on a air of celebration, both local and national. This is immediately followed by the Buddhist Festival of Lights.

This festive period marks a time when everyone celebrates after having restrained themselves for months. It's truly a unique time in which to travel the country and something we've literally been waiting over two years to schedule at this particular time.

Level One / Two
Dates: Oct. 17th - Oct. 30th, 2010
Cost: $4895

# One-on-one narrative instruction by our professionally trained award-winning instructors
# Daily mentoring and story development editing
# Regular slideshows and group critiques
# Portfolio reviews with instructors and Momenta staff
# Lectures on narrative storytelling, elements of photography, and history of documentary photography
# Instruction on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving and printing
# Final night slideshow & party hosted by Momenta for attendees

*****
 INDIA 2011: WORKING WITH NONPROFITS

This trip takes us again back to Dehradun to photograph the work of nonprofits in Northern India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the bustling town of Dehradun offers us a unique location to find Tibetan refugee services, medical and health related nonprofits as well as children and women's programs and so much more.

The workshop will begin January 30 in Dehli with our group orientation and celebration dinner and then we will travel by train through the countryside up North to the Dehradun to start photographing. Daily editing and mentoring with instructors while working hand in hand with your nonprofits will combine with a weekend excursions to a resort town on the River Ganges. Students will work on photo stories relating to their nonprofit partner and have the opportunity to work with more than one nonprofit if they choose. The student photo stories are presented during a group slideshow party hosted by Momenta for the nonprofit staff, volunteers, students and the public.

Level Three
Dates: January 30 - February 12, 2011
Cost: $4550

# Momenta provides all the pre-workshop logistics for nonprofit assignments based each student's interest and goals
# Student work benefits nonprofits in their need to publicize and project their activities to new audiences
# Instruction on Photo Mechanic and photo asset archiving
# Hotels, in-country transportation, guides and meals included with tuition
# Personal portfolio reviews with lead instructor and Momenta staff
# Regular slideshows, lectures and group critiques
# Daily mentoring and story development editing
# Voluntary multimedia instruction for interested attendees
# Lectures on narrative storytelling, elements of a photography and history of documentary photography
# Final slideshow and party hosted by Momenta for all students, NGO staff, general public and members of the photographic community

Other 2011 Momenta trips include "Vietnam 2011: Exploring the Travel Essay," "New Orleans 2011: Working with Nonprofits" and "Project South Africa."

Video Q&A with Photojournalist Neal Menschel

Be sure to catch this illuminating video interview with photojournalist Neal Menschel, conducted by Marc Silber for his Web series, "Advancing Your Photography."

With a career that spans over 25 years, Neal Menschel has photographed some of the most important world events of the last few decades. He captured the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, photographed Nelson Mandela when apartheid ended in South Africa, and has covered half a dozen presidential elections. He was director of photography at the Christian Science Monitor for 13 years, and his clients have included Newsweek and the New York Times.

Watch the interview and you’ll learn:

1. The Importance of Anticipation — In Neal’s line of work, you never know when the unpredictable will happen. That’s why you always have to be on top of your game and ready to shoot at the drop of a hat. Watch Neal discuss how he keeps himself prepared for any situation.

2. Creating a Rapport with Your Subject — Many of Neal’s photographs manage to capture an emotional depth in his subjects because he has spent the time to get to know them before he even lifts a camera to his eye. Watch as he describes the importance of developing a rapport with the people he is shooting, and how this relationship turns into a “collaboration” that is essential to great photography.

3. How to Capture a Heart-Grabbing Image — From composition and lighting suggestions to the importance of using Sandisk cards (”In ten years I’ve never had one fail,” he says), Neal offers specific tips and tricks on what you can do to create moving, heart-wrenching images.

Menschel describes his routine for documentary shoots. He considers himself a journalist first, so he looks for stories that speak to the human heart and he gets to know his subjects as much as possible...

NPPA BOP Judging Begins Today for Websites

Judging begins today for the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) Best of Photojournalism Awards for Website categories. "The goal of this contest is to recognize the best visual journalism being produced online."

Categories include:

* Audio Slideshows

Audio-enhanced collections of still photographs presented in a gallery or slideshow format, that tell a clear story. This category is for still photography combined with audio only. There is no video allowed in this category. Subcategories: News, Feature, Sports, Natural Disaster.

* Multimedia Package

Highlights the use of audio, video and animation in the presentation of web-based stories. Judges will pay special attention to the use of available technology to complement and enhance the art of visual storytelling. Entries may include single galleries, slideshows or video, as well as packages that include multiple elements that were grouped and published together as a single story or theme. Content, usability, and interactivity are key to this celebration of cutting-edge storytelling. Subcategories: News or Feature, Natural Disaster.

* News Video

A story that covers a planned or unplanned news event or a subject of general interest and importance. It can be spot news or a follow up or side bar to spot news. The event should be timely. The entry should contain no music, except where it's part of the natural sound of the story. Stories must have been shot, edited, and posted on the web within 48 hours. Maximum viewing time: 10 minutes.

* Feature Video

A feature or human interest story, or series of stories. Maximum viewing time: 20 minutes.

* Sports Video

A planned story or series of stories about the preparation for, analysis of, or audience reaction to a sport, or coverage of a sporting event. Greater weight will be given to stories that have sports action video and focus on the competition. Maximum viewing time: 20 minutes.

* Documentary Video

A planned story or series of stories about a subject of general interest and importance, where the photojournalist has put considerable time and effort into the production of the entry. Documentaries must show imagination and creativity in story choice, execution and editing. Maximum viewing time: 30 minutes.

* Natural Disaster Video

A feature or human interest story, news story, or series of stories related to coverage of the natural disasters in 2009. Maximum viewing time: 20 minutes.

* Special Awards

Once the judging for the Audio Slideshow, Web Video, and Multimedia categories is complete, the winners will go head-to-head to determine the absolute best of web photojournalism. The winner will demonstrate a mastery of photographic and visual storytelling in an online environment. Content, interface design, navigation, and interactivity will all be evaluated to find the site or multimedia team that best furthers the evolution of online visual journalism. Categories: Best Audio Slideshow, Best Web Video, Best Use of Multimedia, Best Use of the Web.

We'll be posting some of the winners on KobreGuide -- where you can bet many have been showcased since their original publication!

This week KobreGuide will showcase some of the NPPA BOP winners in the News Video Photography division, which was judged earlier this month. Because more TV news outlets are migrating versions of their broadcast segments to the Web, contest officials acknowledge that there are increasingly overlaps in many of the News Video and Website categories -- which we predict will consolidate before long, like the industries themselves.

Meanwhile, take a look at last year's NPPA BOP winners in the Web categories.

Journalists: Who Should You Follow on Twitter?

How does one keep up with videojournalism news, info, trends? First and foremost, by scouring hundreds of Websites and blogs every week. But we're also finding that Twitter is becoming an increasingly useful resource as media institutions and journalists are getting in the habit of concisely sharing their views and perspectives -- and links to their best work.

We'd like to pass along a small sample of some of the Twitter accounts we've found useful for scouting good journalism, photojournalism, and videojournalism. Just add "http://www.twitter.com/" in front of each Twitter handle.

And please share your favorites with us, in the Comments section below. Thanks!

MEDIA INSTITUTIONS:

ABC
CBSNews
NBCNews
TIME
Newsweek
AP
cnnbrk
nytimes
latimes
washingtonpost
LAObserved
nprpolitics
nprnews
PRI
JewishJournal
MotherJones
vanityfairmag
wired
Slate
TheWrap
huffpo

*****

VISUAL MEDIA INSTITUTIONS:

LIFE
nytimesphoto
LATimesPhotos
AP_PhotoDesk
MediaStorm
bbcvideo
boingboingvideo
magnumphotos
asmp
pdnonline

*****

JOURNALISTS:

NickKristof
NYTimesDowd
NYTimesRich
NYTimesFriedman
nytimespogue
BobHerbert
AmanpourCNN
jamesrgaines
mimiswartz
thejoelstein
KBAndersen
susanorlean
maddow
andersoncooper
sharonwaxman
vidlit
alexiat

*****

VISUAL JOURNALISTS:

rosenblumtv
cmulvany
travisfox
annderry
olsentropy
lucy_nicholson
francineorr
craigwduff
robbmontgomery
nicoleshea

*****

MEDIA COMMENTATORS:

NiemanLab
reginajmc
tomkennedy
GuyKawasaki
jayrosen_nyu
jeffjarvis
mashable
NewspaperVideo
93stories
storytellin
betsybrill
EthicsforMedia

*****

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT
(Just for fun!)

dribbleglass
TheOnion
diablocody
mindykaling
rainnwilson
BorowitzReport

And of course, please follow us at http://www.twitter.com/kobre !

Wired to Publish iPad Magazine

We're relieved to be in good company when we called the iPad a "game changer" for print journalism.

We've been among those forecasting that the addition of touchscreen visual journalism -- especially video -- is going to compel people to fork over a few bucks, either for each issue or for an extended subscription. That's partly because audiences are already in the habit of buying apps with the push of a button, even as they've lost their desire to purchase publications on newsstands and magazine racks.

As we've been predicting all along, iTunes will do for print what it did for music. Smart publishers will get on board early.

One such publisher that has vindicated our vision is Conde Nast, whose upscale titles include Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and GQ (which already publishes iPhone/iPod Touch app versions of its issues).

First out of the chute for iPad conversion is, appropriately, their premiere tech title, Wired. Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson announced at the Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conference on Friday that the publication would be releasing its content for the iPad by summer.

Anderson said the iPad allows periodicals for the first time to do digital content with all of the same values and artistic range that are the hallmark of print magazines. Wired Creative Director Scott Dadich worked with Jeremy Clark from Adobe (pictured) over the last six months to design the Wired iPad Magazine. [Ed. note: Couldn't they have displayed a more optimistic headline?]

Readers can sift through the contents horizontally and when they find an article they want to read, touch and drag their finger on the first page vertically to browse through the pages up and down. They can also turn the device horizontally to take advantage of the automatically-rotating display to view two pages side by side like a magazine and zoom out to see thumbnails of the content all at once.

Naturally, the best part, from our perspective, will be the inclusion of video. Touch a photo of a product being reviewed, and you'll get a video report about it -- a feature that will be especially enticing to advertisers.

And of course another big advantage over print is that the portable digital version can be offered for a fraction of the subscription price, which runs as high as $70/year for overseas addresses.

More info here.

Momenta Workshops in India, New Orleans

Momenta Workshops is offering scholarships and discounts for students and professionals for its Project India photojournalism expedition, Jan. 17-30, 2010.

We will be working with small local nonprofits in rural India about 5 hours north of Dehli. We have an amazing line up of locations, including a leprosy clinic, a rural health care facility, a home for the elderly and much more.

More info here.

Project New Orleans is slated for April 7-11, 2010: "We will be arriving during the French Quarter Festival and working with that nonprofit and many others on this incredibly fun, incredibly gratifying workshop." Learn more here.

Other planned 2010 destinations: Burma, the Greek Islands, Paris and various U.S. cities.

Our workshops specialize in helping not only beginning storytellers but also professionals on an upward trajectory. We aim to keep connecting journalists and media experts from around the world to create a network with common interests. In a sense, we fill the void current media institutions cannot by getting photographers to go out into the field to hone their skills, perfect their craft and carry on the mission of journalistic integrity. At the same time, we are building a new media marketplace that will continue to pay dividends to the communications community for some time to come.

Check for updates at MomentaWorkshops.com .

Help Save DigitalJournalist.org

Sadly, publisher Dirck Halstead has announced that, after 12 years of monthly issues, the December issue of The Digital Journalist may be the last. Its chief sponsor, Canon, has had to withdraw financial backing, and now he is undertaking fundraising efforts -- including a Paypal donation button on TDJ's homepage that so far has raised about $2,000 toward keeping the online publication alive.

In addition to providing an expert look at, and behind-the-scenes of, photojournalism, Halstead has been instrumental in helping still photographers make the leap to videojournalism, with his Platypus workshops that he's taught around the world. He invited KobreGuide to guest-edit the April 2009 issue of The Digital Journalist, which was devoted to videojournalism.

In short, for more than a decade, Halstead and TDJ have been on the cutting edge of visual journalism trends. They have had their eye on leading its practitioners through the stormy economy ahead:

Even before Canon's decision, we were planning to reorganize. We are aware of how badly our readers who make their living from photojournalism have been hit not only by the recession, but also by the failures and cutbacks of countless publications, magazines and newspapers, as well as TV and cable. Our goal in our reorganization is not only to be able to continue The Digital Journalist, but to actually provide funding to help photographers to go out into the world and do their work, documenting the important stories that shape our lives and history.

So now is not the time to allow the plug to be pulled. We encourage you to pledge whatever you can to keep the voice of visual journalism alive and thriving as a shining beacon to all of us.

LINKS:

Photo District News Pulse:
Canon Pulls Sponsorship of The Digital Journalist

NPPA News Photographer:
Dirck Halstead's DigitalJournalist.org May Shut Down

DigitalJournalist.org Donations

KobreGuide's Special Videojournalism Issue of TDJ (04/09)

Ed Kashi: Why You Must Diversify & Collaborate

Visual journalist extraordinaire Ed Kashi shares excellent advice on the LiveBooks Photojournalism Blog today: "To create change, storytellers must conquer multiple media platforms."

It’s not enough anymore to create work for one media platform, especially if you intend to raise awareness about issues or are trying to effect change. Now when I create a new project as a photojournalist or with Talking Eyes Media, the non-profit production company I founded with my wife, Julie Winokur, we have our eyes on expanded opportunities for distribution: the web, social media, books, exhibitions, T.V., lectures, workshops, academic applications, and NGO collaborations. There are undoubtedly even more I haven’t thought, of and we’re always looking for new options.

Kashi emphasizes the necessity for photographers to master the various aspects of multimedia:

To work in this multi-platform landscape, you must develop skills beyond still photography. You should at least be proficient at gathering and editing audio, and preferably you’d also understand video and be able to handle post production to produce a finished piece.

Another advantage of interactivity is that you not only get instant feedback and contributions from your audience (which includes the people whose lives you are reporting about), but also an extra audience boost from the audience itself, who can be eager to share your work, and thus help with its distribution.

This is an important aspect of multi-platform storytelling: It can easily be disseminated to a wide variety of audiences. It also provides the means for those audiences to talk back with the photographer/producer about the work. It is exciting to being able to create a groundswell of interest in this way, by building a feedback loop between the documentarian, their subject, and the audience.

Multimedia requires more collaboration, and Kashi touts the advantages of teamwork -- not only during the creative process....

And what was once a solitary process, working as a still photographer, now takes on dimensions of collaboration, visual explorations, and deeper engagement with my subjects through audio capture.

... but also for disseminating your work...

I recommend that photographers have a vision for not only the the issue you’re reporting on, but also what larger impact you want to achieve and how you see it being distributed and utilized. One key is to work with a great editor who shares your vision and purpose. Editing for a book or editorial essay is vastly different than producing a short multimedia piece. As is curating an exhibition or lecture or teaching tool.

My experience has taught me that collaborating with like-minded people who share my vision and — most importantly — my sense of purpose for the issue at hand is the easiest path to making my vision a reality. I cannot do this alone. Luckily the the working relationships I’ve learned to develop with writers, editors, producers, audio people, and videographers not only help make our projects happen, they also provide creative collaboration that is exciting and deeply rewarding.

Read Ed Kashi's essay here, and be sure to visit his Talking Eyes Media Website.

Also, check out some of Kashi's remarkably diverse work that has been showcased on KobreGuide:

* The Sandwich Generation
See the challenges faced by an estimated 20 million Americans who have to take care of aging relatives.

* Curse of the Black Gold
The Niger Delta is rich in oil, yet Nigerians living there are poorer than ever, violence is rampant, and the land and water are fouled.

* A Meaningful New Mission
Retired Navy officer Rick Koca founded Stand Up for Kids to help homeless teens. In the process of changing their lives, he reinvented his own.

* India's Fast Lane to the Future
A new superhighway linking its four major cities is bringing old and new India into jarring proximity... for better and worse.

* Friends for Life
Timeless tale of two seniors who meet by chance and provide mutual support and affection for each other as they age.

* Arab Christians: The Forgotten Faithful
Followers of Jesus for 2,000 years are disappearing from the volatile land where their faith was born.

Poynter Seminar for Visual Journalists

For journalists who appreciate the need to work visuals into their storytelling vocabulary, Poynter is offering a course in Essentials for the Versatile Visual Journalist

Your newsroom is changing everyday. How can your skills as a visual journalist help you excel in print or online? In this hands-on seminar, we provide practical experience and insight to help develop your knowledge of multimedia tools and new story forms. Learn to identify your own strengths and gain a better understanding of how collaboration can enhance storytelling.

You'll learn:

* The best uses of audio, video, still image, informational graphics, interactivity and Web and print design

* How the right tools can facilitate better journalism

* Ways to develop your personal skills and interests toward the most focused career path

To apply, or for more info, go here, or contact seminars@poynter.org

Instructor: Sara Dickenson Quinn (pictured)

Seminar dates: 11/30 - 12/4

Application deadline: 10/19

Tuition: $995

We Have a Winner!

When we reached 1,234 members* of the KobreGuide Facebook Group, we had a drawing for a free Prof. Kobre Lightscoop (retail value $35), which dramatically improves SLR flash photography.

And our winner is.... Amanda Koster (right), whose SalaamGarage leads groups of visual journalists to Third World countries, where they work with NGOs to help raise funds and awareness for worthy projects.

Congratulations, Amanda! We hope you'll take your new Lightscoop on your upcoming excursions to India, Guatemala, and Vietnam, and let us know how you like it. (Better yet, show us!)

Thanks to all who've signed up for our KobreGuide Facebook Group. It's the best way to stay abreast of KobreGuide.com stories and developments. (And you can follow us on Twitter, too!)

And please keep an eye on all the great work Amanda is doing over at SalaamGarage.com.

* Our Facebook Group is now up to 1,252 members. If you haven't joined yet, please do -- and invite your friends.

NPPA's Convergence '09: June 6-13

The National Press Photographers Association's week-long annual meeting in Las Vegas -- Convergence '09 -- will be devoted to multimedia and visual journalism.

The Multimedia Immersion Workshop (June 6-10) will be "an intense, five-day, hands-on training experience for visual journalists looking to expand and grow their multimedia skillsets."

What you will learn:

• Effectively planning and developing your story to save time on your workflow and increase the quality of your pieces
  
• Professional audio recording techniques in the field from audio documentary experts
  
• Hands-on explanations and experiences on how to use audio, video and photo gear -- along with recommendations on gear
  
• Training on how to shoot visuals for multimedia storytelling including techniques for documentaries and working as a one-man-band or mobile journalist
  
• Hands-on video production editing training and experience on Final Cut Pro, including how to create your own custom composed music and how to integrate cutting edge motion graphics, titles and lower-third labels
  
• Get inspired seeing some of the most cutting edge multimedia projects from industry leaders forging the new multimedia storytelling forms
  
• Every student will produce their own finished, professional project – from capturing all the content to editing to compressing the final files.
  

Unlike other multimedia training workshops, we provide the most personalized training experience with the lowest student-to-teacher ratio (with about 25 coaches for 50 students). So students will be personally coached by industry leaders who work at media titans including The New York Times, NPR, Washington Post, MSNBC, and also from leading independent multimedia outlets, including MediaStorm and top academic institutions like Syracuse University.

The Visual Journalism Workshops (June 11–13) will offer "3 days of valuable, practical and inspiring education, focused on improving your skills, marketability, and ability to succeed in today’s competitive still, video and multimedia environment."

Workshop sessions include:

• Basic and Alternative Storytelling Techniques using Still, Video and Audio
  
• Interviewing from Research to Editing
  
• Narratives, Script Writing and Production
  
• Still and Video Editing Techniques
  
• Editing Software Training and Equipment Demonstrations
  
• Freelance Instruction and Business Models
  
• One-Man-Bands
  
• Lighting and Audio Training
  
• Multimedia Production, Editing and Coaching
  
• How to do Panoramas
  
• The Edit Foundry (Avid)
  
• Feature Presentations from Industry Leaders

Register here.

L.A. Times Launches Visual Journalism Dept.

Newspapers everywhere are struggling with how to best adapt images to the Web, a medium that can accommodate so much more than still pictures.

Photojournalists are having to learn a whole new set of skills -- not just the nuts-and-bolts of shooting and editing video, but also how to tell an entire story (and not just provide visual accompaniment), complete with audio interviews and sound bites, while meeting the basic standards of journalism. Whew!

Similarly, print journalists are being handed fancy new equipment, given fast-track tech and software training, and sent out to shoot and edit audio-slideshows and video stories (and still meet their daily print deadlines).

The Los Angeles Times is in the vanguard of metropolitan dailies that are making a concerted effort to maximize their talent pools, and allocate their personnel and resources intelligently, to meet the new challenges of telling stories online with moving pictures.

Read today's memo from L.A. Times Editor Russ Stanton, about the creation of its new Visual Journalism department.

Excerpts:

Today, we are creating a fully integrated department in editorial that will serve our site and our newspaper, combining our print photo, Web photo and video operations into one new department: Visual Journalism.

Today, three photo staffers and five editors work full time to produce photos, photo galleries and videos for the web, and almost all others in the department have been cross-trained and contribute to both mediums.

Combining these three departments under the umbrella of visual journalism will improve our ability to present multimedia storytelling in an even more engaging way, and take greater advantage of our outstanding photo staff.

KobreGuide will be watching, and looks forward to seeing improved video and multimedia on LATimes.com. We'll be right here in a few weeks to point you directly to their best efforts.