Multimedia Writing in Las Vegas

They still call it the Broadcast Education Association, but professors at this convention are looking forward to the future of video for web sites and mobile devices. Kim Fox of the American University in Cairo organized a panel on Teaching and Assessing Media Writing and I was honored to be among the speakers.Kim, a former NPR journalist, has been able to incorporate the historic events of the Egyptian revolution into her courses by encouraging students to conduct interviews and blog about their own beliefs. Curtis Holsopple, a Mennonite teaching at the historically black Virginia State University, talked about the need to teach basic writing skills for all platforms. Trevor Hall from Boise State confirmed my belief that fancy writing programs dreamed up by textbook publishers only confuse and annoy the students. The skills taught in my book, Power Performance, can be practiced on any basic word processing program or on any newsroom software students might use in class or on the job. Sunny Skye Hughes from the University of Maine managed to keep us all on schedule while taking video and pictures of the proceedings.
We had a great exchange of ideas with those who attended. For teachers who couldn't be there, you can get a free examination copy of the book by emailing your course details to Rachel Herbert at SSHtextbooks@wiley.com. You can buy the book at a discount on www.wiley.com by putting in the code VB237.
Being in Las Vegas for the day gave me a chance to revisit the many things I don't like about this city. I totally agree with my son that it's better to save your money and visit the real Eiffel Tower or Venice canals. Intrigued by the ads for the new Cosmopolitan, I dropped by to see bars dripping in crystal chandeliers. I guess the theme of that place is bad taste. There are some beautiful spots like the spring garden at the Bellagio, but a day of shopping revealed an overpriced assortment of evening gowns and tshirts. My favorite attraction, Quark's Bar outside the Star Trek exhibit at the Hilton, is gone. The hotel seems shabby and lifeless without the roaming Klingons and Ferengis.I also stopped by the NAB show, which has evolved into a technology fest without the presence of RTDNA, which has moved its convention to New Orleans in September. You have to love the latest version of a live truck -- downsized into a Smart car.
Beam me up, Scotty. I'm done here.

R.I.P. Flip

One of the best products EVER is the Flip camera. It slips easily into a purse or a briefcase and with the touch of a button, it's ready to record an hour or two of video, depending on the model, and it can even be in high def. Then, the flip-out USB port and self-contained software make it a snap to edit, make a simple movie and instantly post it to the internet to share with friends.
I especially like the battery powered models. If I'm on the road, I don't have to hunt for an electrical outlet and a USB port to recharge; just slip in fresh batteries and I'm good to go.
My coaching clients love the Flip. For private clients who are learning to be comfortable on camera, the Flip is much less threatening than massive TV gear. I can instantly show their progress from the beginning of the session to the end. It's a good ice breaker in group sessions when I have everyone introduce themselves to the Flip camera, and it's a sneaky way for me to record a name and a face for each participant. I've sometimes joked that I could finance entire foreign trips with a suitcase full of Flip cameras. I brought one as a gift to the Maldives and the entire country wanted one! I could have sold lots of them for double the price. Unfortunately, we couldn't get Cisco to ship overseas. I also got the cold shoulder from Cisco when I tried to work out a deal for a mass purchase for my students.
Which brings me to one of the dumbest business decisions EVER. Cisco is plugging the plug on the Flip. Read the press release here: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Cisco-Restructures-Consumer-Business-NASDAQ-CSCO-1426209.htm
The irony is that if you go to Cisco's site, there's endless preaching about the importance of online video. Sure, the Flip isn't perfect. The built-in microphone is cheesy and I was really excited when they came out with a model that allows for a port to plug in a real microphone. I bought a brand new Flip Ultra HD in anticipation of the microphones being available. I'm still waiting!
I can't even imagine life without Flip. I bought one for my brother for Christmas, and I can count on getting a video of every time my neice gets a base hit in a softball game. I've used mine to record and share the musical talents of my son and all of his friends. Even stupid pet tricks.
According to Cisco, the Flip can't compete with the video capabilities of smartphones and tablets. So I guess at my next coaching session, I'm supposed to hold up a phone and tell my clients to speak into it? Here's hoping that some company with an understanding of this useful product will take it over and support Flip fans everywhere.