How the iPhone Is Transforming Reporting at the New York Times.
When Ann Derry, the editorial services director, video and television for the New York Times, sat down for a red carpet interview at the recent Streaming Media East conference in New York City, she had just come from a panel discussion that included colleagues from the Wall Street Journal and Time magazine. She was struck by how they were all facing the same challenges, and how they had all come to rely on a certain popular mobile device.
"Everyone saw the iPhone 4 as being one really, really important and useful new tool. We all kind of arrived independently at this realization, that that was going to be a crucial reporting tool for all of us," said Derry.
For the New York Times, the iPhone 4 offers reporters an easy way to shoot video and it doesn't require training. That's important when you've got a large group of employees scattered across the globe.
"A lot of them have iPhones," added Derry. "All of a sudden we went, 'Wait, they have the video camera. You don't have to give them a video camera, you don't have to remember to take it with them. They've got one.' And not only can you shoot video, you can Skype it back, you can upload it to a server."
The portability of the phone means that it can easily go where a full camera crew can't. As a result of having to shoot their own video, print reporters are starting to think graphically about their work.
For more from Derry, including reader's responses to visual news stories, watch the full interview below.
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