The future of video-journalism: Mobiles

Abstract

This communication aims to present and study the trends in mobile video-journalism in the production of news and television/internet programs, as well as its possible repercussions in the industry, the improvements in the quality of information and the reduction of production times. The latest technical improvements in mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), together with the proliferation of apps and gadgets adapted to these systems open up a new spectrum of possibilities for journalists, being already possible to film and edit audiovisual pieces simultaneously with broadcast quality and a much lower budget than what a standard television equipment needs. This turns the journalist into an active agent in the edition of the news and puts him in full control of the story. This communication will also study the cases of newschannels using mobile devices for program and news-making. Since the 29th of June 2015, local genoese channel Léman Bleu produces its newscast using strictly iPhones, BBC produced earlier this year its show Click in the Mobile World Congress of Barcelona exclusively with smartphones and tablets, Al Jazeera also has a section dedicated exclusively to video-journalism, and corporations such as CNN, Channel News Asia or Singapore NewsMedia are investing in formative courses for their reporters.