E-Media Tidbits

wired.com Wired Magazine reported on how video interviews were used in a recent Marine court martial.

Television uses "expert in a box" video links pretty routinely -- but these involve high-tech connections set up and run by technicians. Some technology news sites like CNET feature video interviews. Vidcasters also routinely use Internet video.

How much do reporters think of online video when they set up interviews? Are journalism schools inviting experts into classrooms via online video, modeling how to do Internet interviews? What percentage of interviews do journalism students do online, in lieu of in person or by telephone?

A July 24 Wired article by Marty Graham, Legal First: Marine Court Martial Uses Live Internet Video discussed using Internet video to question witnesses who were on ships, going into combat, and generally unavailable to provide testimony in court.

This case involves the killings of 24 civilians in Haditha, Iraq. The problem facing the tribunal was how to take testimony and allow cross-examination of witnesses who can't be in the courtroom. There is interesting discussion of how video testimony differs from face-to-face witness testimony in court. Several experts weigh in on the pros and cons of video testimony. (Is someone making faces behind the camera?)

Online video testimony allowed all the parties to see witnesses who might die in battle at any time. Watching witnesses' body language and facial expressions is as important to lawyers and judges as it is to reporters. But I wonder how many reporters consider online video to be a context-rich tool like the telephone?

With today's inexpensive and ubiquitous tech tools, reporters can produce this kind of interview for the Web, take stills from the video and use them in a print story, and enhance an edited and polished story by putting the whole interview online for people who prefer transparency.

Are you thinking like this? Should you be thinking like this? With the hordes of amateurs taking to this enthusiastically, maybe professionals should give it a try.