E-Media Tidbits

One of the hottest technology trends these days is the combination of mobile phone and digital camera. (Here's a review article from Mobile-Review.com of some of the latest models.) Has it occurred to newsroom managers yet what a great journalistic tool these new gadgets represent? I envision most reporters carrying digital-camera phones when they hit the street on reporting assignments. Imagine a reporting team equipped with the phones the next time a major disaster strikes a community, or when a reporter happens to be on the scene of instant news without a photographer in tow, or even just needs a simple mug shot during an interview.

I'm not advocating the demise of professional photographers here, of course. But with all journalists carrying the means to document an event with digital photography that can be instantly phoned in to the newsroom, photo editors will be assured of a wide range of photos choices and will be less likely to miss capturing an important event because photo staff wasn't in place. Indeed, add the usage of photo phones by the public, who can be encouraged to send in photos of breaking news as they experience it, and newsroom photo editors will in the future have a wealth of images to choose from for publication -- professional and amateur.