Vaughan Smith, Videojournalist

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEDRM6l0SKs[/youtube]

Lots of us dream of running off to Afghanistan with a small video camera.

Vaughan Smith actually did it – and continues to do so.

He has just returned from Afghanistan where he was embedded with The Grenadier Guards as they began their assault on the Taliban fighters.

It’s one thing to see Lara Logan parading around Afghanistan in make up and earrings, it’s another to see the work of a real television journalist.

Here are a few good links:

http://blogs.pressgazette.co.uk/wire/6175

Vaughan also founded The Frontline Club, which I just joined. Check it out.

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 35 years, Michael Rosenblum has been on the cutting edge of the digital video journalism revolution. During this time, he has lead a drive for video literacy, and the complete rethinking of how television is made and controlled. His work has included: The complete transitioning of The BBC's national network (UK) to a VJ-driven model, starting in 2002. The complete conversion of The Voice of America, the United State's Government's broadcasting agency, (and the largest broadcaster in the world), from short wave radio to television broadcasting and webcasting using the VJ paradigm (1998-present). The construction of NYT Television, a New York Times Company, and the largest producer of non-fiction television in the US. Rosenblum was both the founder and President of NYT TV, (all based on this paradigm (1996-1998). The President and Founder of Video News International, a global VJ-driven newsgathering company, with more than 100 journalists around the world. (1993-1996). Other clients include Spectrum News, Verizon and CBS News.

5 Comments

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  • david dunkley gyimah February 18, 2010

    Yes, quite. I was a freelance radio journalist for the BBC World Service between 92-94 reporting from among others Soweto, Katlehong and Khayelitsha, before AP’ing later for ABC News.

    Recently went back to SA, Joburg, for the first time in 16 years to Yeoville, where I used to live . Had about half an hour and put together this short film on viewmagazine.tv. What a place it was, what a place it is now.

    Hoping to be back in SA for the footie.

    Re: Vaughan Smith, he’s one of the pioneering videojournalists, alongside Sue Lloyd Roberts et al, though probably didn’t call himself a VJ during the Afghan days of Najibullah and the Soviet’s campaign. Did a lot of stuff, as I recall for Newsnight and C4 News.

    He does a Sunday brunch gathering at his Frontline, which I have been to. Truly nice humble guy. Good film makers never leave the stage.

    david

  • Jerry Lazar February 18, 2010


    Operation Moshtarak    , by Vaughan Smith.

  • fosca February 18, 2010

    funnily the piece vaughan recorded, the one where the link doesn´t work was shown on our telly too. there the sound was used as a carpet and the news was that the soldiers tried to get to that compound but didn´t succeed. no mention of snipers. the rocket shot was shown and some bang in the background seen. overall it was suggested that those pictures were out for the screens in (on)order to improve mr.browns ratings for the elections due in two months. propaganda in other words. i can not judge the situation in the land of the afghans because sadly i haven´t been there yet. i did my service as a mountain-engineer. and if ever there was a training shot fired and the soldiers under my command were not down for cover before it rang out they would still today feel my boot up their rear end. that you can take for granted. i would have objected to mistakingly fired shots from some sniper rifle (if what was shown was one at all). as i said i am probably wrong. silly, however real the shown situations were, is the fact that the language the gunfodder uses is bleeped over. FOR FUCKS SAKE! is it words that send on ultimate vacations or highly accelerated lead? who fears for the viewers sensitiveness? the more i recall the pictures the more i take the whole thing as being set up. sorry.
    i hope that vaughan smith earned a lot of money with the pics.

  • Vanessa February 18, 2010

    The video shows were so intense that I forgot that I was actually watching some “news report” from a Video Journalist. In fact, It seemed more like HBO’s “BAND OF BROTHERS”. What’s even more amazing is the fact that the camera shots were well placed – WHILE UNDER FIRE – GEEZ! Well done Vaughan Smith for capturing it and editing it so well. As for Lara Logan – just thinking about the crap she is getting paid for burns me up! Thanks for sharing this, I too have become a member.