Sharing on YouTube

I am still more or less a virgin at YouTube. Okay, I have uploaded two clips so I could put them on this blog (there’s probably another, easier way but I have no idea). But for now the semantics remain vague. Although, I got this email the other day that shed a ray of light.

It was from a woman who had seen my tv story on film maker Anton Corbijn (director of Control) on YouTube. She had watched it on the Dutch News months ago, and didn’t understand at the time why NOS Journaal had aired this particular piece. (Neither did I, it was just a slow news period.)

But she had changed her mind after watching it again on YouTube. Somebody had taken the trouble to add English subtitles. Several people had rated and commented on the piece, and more importantly started this dialogue on Corbijn and his work.

In other words, my little video had come to life on another platform. There were credits at the beginning and at the end, so what was there to complain? Nothing. Actually, it was a bit flattering, I guess. Somebody decided to share my little something in the extended public domain that YouTube has become.

So, does YouTube give our journalistic work renewed depth? Or is it just a cheap rip-off? Let me know.

I’m cool with it, that’s for sure. It saved me some time uploading, so you can watch it here. Thank you, whoever did this.

Seeking Sound

Never ever did I think radio would grow into one of my biggest love affairs. Growing up in the ‘soft g’ southern part of Holland (Noord-Brabant), I mumbled and spoke way too fast to be heard clearly, let alone on air. Somehow I ended up getting a job as the US radio correspondent in Washington DC.

Seeking sound became a special mission. If you work in radio you know what I mean. You walk around with your microphone and literally look for audio. It can be a cashier counting out money. A plane flying over, almost invisible but still audible. Footsteps, always nice. Stuff you can’t film or write about, only capture with your Marantz.

Listen up guys, radio isn’t dead. Far from it, I found out this morning in The Guardian. Radio Reborn is a special section, laying out the future (yes the bright future) thanks to DAB, Online and many other ways of spreading the news to your ears. You just have to see it.

(I’ve tried to find this stuff on the highly praised website of The Guardian, but couldn’t find it. Bizar. Apparently it’s partly a commercial supplement to the paper. So IS it true? Well, check out this site: RadioCentre.org)