Backpack Journalism : Jack of all trades master of none!

Photo courtesy of AgWired.com

To be a Backpack Journalist, you must be a jack of all trades. Backpack Journalists are writers, producers, reporters, and, most importantly, on-demand technical aficionados! You must be able to use the necessary technology to accomplish their duties, whether you are on the floor of the Amazon rainforest, in the desert of Iraq, or on the shores of the Zambezi. Technology has no boundaries anymore, so the report must go out.

Your equipment, should you choose to embark on such ubiquitous profession, shall include a laptop computer loaded with video-producing software, a cell phone (or, more preferably, a satellite phone), and a high-quality camera. All this should begin to get your feet wet as a mobile media Machiavellian.

Just having this gadgetry will by no means make you a Walter Cronkite. It will, however, enable you to get your news story out from practically any location on the spinning globe to an information-hungry society.

This kind of portability comes at a price, not only in terms of the costs of the equipment, but in terms of video quality, transmission capabilities, and local laws and regulations.
For starters you’re going to need a laptop—preferably a rugged one like the RNB-230 Max, which retails for about $4,675. However, this kind of durability is a requirement in backpack journalism. With its magnesium alloy case, shock-mounted hard drive, and spill-resistant keyboard, not even Anacondas in the Amazon can squeeze the information out of the secure shell of the RNB-230 Max.

You’ll need to load that rugged laptop with video-editing software such as Vegas Pro 8. At $550, this software will provide a solid foundation that brings the capabilities of editing SD or HD video with drag-and-drop functionality, mouse and keyboard trimming, and ripple editing. Features include ProType Titling technology, multicamera editing tools, and 32-bit floating point video processing!

Once your laptop is fully-loaded with the latest video editing software, you are going to need to communicate to and from any point on the globe in order to get your story out to the pubic. This is where the Motorola Iridium 9805a Satellite Phone comes into play. With calling plans starting at about $1,345, it is obviously not indented to make calls to your grandmother on Sundays. This is a serious communication tool that is necessary to get your word out no matter where on the globe the story takes you. The key with this phone is that you can use it to transmit data with an optional RS232 adapter IrDA Port, which enables you not only to send but also video to anywhere on the globe!

Finally, you’ll need a camera to capture the story for your audience’s viewing pleasure. The one you’ll want to take with you should be none other than the Canon GL2 mini DV Digital Video Camera. At $2150, it’s meant for serious business when reporting out in the field. Weighing it at a mere 2.2 lbs, it won’t break your backpack straps and will still deliver 20x zoom capabilities so you don’t have to get too close to the action. This is particularly important in hostile environments where your reporting may be considered more of an act of war than a freedom of press!

As you may now realize, being a Backpack Journalist requires many skills when it comes to properly utilizing sophisticated equipment. It also isn’t a cheap hobby if you want to do it right. And while the days and nights are long, your office is the outdoors, and the water cooler is the nearest stream, having the proper equipment allows backpack journalists to bring stories to people around the world. From hurricane coverage to the frontlines of the battlefield, backpack journalism is there!


Sources for the posting:

http://veracity.univpubs.american.edu/today/vol/summer08/071508-gentile.html

http://www.gannett.com/career/bpj.htm

http://eastwikkers.typepad.com/eastwikkers_/2007/02/backpack_journa.html

http://www.ruggednotebooks.com/products/RNB230Max/

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro

http://www.exlint.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=12&pg=1

http://www.satellitephone.com/#meinav=iridium

http://salestores.com/ca79glmidv3c.html