Forbes reports on BBC camera phone uses

Last month I wrote about the BBC giving camera phones to its reporters to give provide them with a competitive edge. Today Forbes magazine reports on the BBC's efforts and interviews other news organizations about their camera phone plans (if any).

Forbes senior editor Penelope Patsuris writes that the BBC has distributed 40 camera phones to its reporters and producers and intends to distribute an additional 40.

How is it using the camera phones? Here's what Patsuris writes:

"Last week for instance, the network had the first shots of a deadly bus crash in Wales when a camera-phone-wielding producer arrived on the scene ahead of the traditional cameras. The video phones were also on duty during President George W. Bush's recent visit to the U.K.

"'He traveled a long route and you can't have cameras everywhere,' says Klaveren. 'In the end we got everything we needed with regular cameras, but [video cell phones] are a cost effective way to fill in any gap in coverage.'

"These phones aren't meant to ever replace traditional television cameras, only to augment them."

Beyond the typical camera phones

The article says (as others have reported) that the BBC is using Nokia 3650 camera phones with photo enhancement software from Philips Software. The software supposedly improves image quality significantly and 15 minutes of videos may be recorded -- compared to 15 seconds in a standard 3650.

I sent an e-mail to Patsuris who said it takes 15 minutes to send one minute of video, according to the BBC. But if you're waiting for a truck with a satellite link to arrive, a camera phone video is better than nothing -- which is the reason the BBC and other journalism organizations are exploring the potential of camera phones.

The article notes that Fox News is implementing camera phones, but doesn't provide any details.

Not every news organization is interested

CBS has looked at camera phones, but doesn't think the quality is good enough. NBC says the same thing, although a spokesman says the company sees "great potential" for the future. CNN isn't pursuing anything, the article says.

Patsuris interviews Al Tompkins, a broadcast professor at the Poynter Institute, who says camera phones would be good for journalism they result in more timely news stories. But it won't be so good if they produce more "tripe and fluff."

Given the percentage of junk that infects the airwaves -- from purported "news" programs -- it's difficult for me to imagine that camera phones would produce even more "tripe and fluff." But I guess it's never a good idea to bet against the public's capacity to suck up junk.

Comments

[Marc Brown]

I would be interested to find out more about the Philips Software product. Sounds really cool. I wonder how it improves the quality of still images...

it doesnt' seem to have a product name or any download available on the Philips site...

http://www.software.philips.com/InformationCenter/Global/FHomepage.asp