For too many newspapers, video is like spinach.  It should be included in your diet but that doesn’t mean you have to like it.  Newspapers are defensive and tentative about video.  As a former TV guy, I’ve written that newspapers should embrace video, not just because they have to, but because there is no reason in the world that they can’t be as good or better in using video in storytelling than the TV news networks.    The technology makes that possible, and the lack of legacy production and work flow systems is actually an advantage.  It’s easier to be innovative.

The need for newspapers to plunge into video with enthusiasm is the theme of two posts on Angela Grant’s excellent blog, News Videographer.  The first post is about Gannett being the exception that proves the rule about newspapers’ reticence concerning video. The second is an interesting piece about a local story done in a way that is a healthy departure from the convention approach.  Both are worth a read.