Did the BBC approve the iPhone for news gathering?

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by Johnnie BehiriFebruary 26^th, 2014

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I’ve been working with the BBC as a freelance cameraman/editor for the last 7 years and recently came across the  YouTube video below, published by “BBC College of Journalism”.

I guess when you look at the video the instinct will be to shout “what happened to the world quality leader broadcaster and why is he approving the use of smartphones in the field”?

Well, he way I see it, the move is aimed towards allowing the field journalists to use their “broadcast tools” in the best available way and this is a good thing.

When you come to consider a news event and have the choice to film it with an “inferior quality device” or not filming it at all, I would vote for “filming it with what you have”.

I’m happy to see the BBC moving forward and endorsing the new technologies in a creative and logical way.
I hope other broadcaster will follow and mobile phone manufacturers will grab the opportunity to design and deliver a “broadcast mobile phone”, one that can become a journalist favorite.

As for us, fellow cameramen, there is nothing to fear. As we cannot stop technology from evolving, we better accept the change and focus our talents elsewhere because they are definitely needed!

More from BBC college of journalism can be found here