The Future of News: TikTok or Netflix

There is a great deal of concern, well placed, that few people under the age of 30 watch TV news.

Viewership of TV news in general has fallen, so naturally, TV executives across the board are searching for a solution. How to appeal to a demographic that spends most of their time on social media?

Two solutions have emerged — One, is to emulate TikTok — short videos, shot on a phone- cheap but hopefully entertaining, and even more hopefully carrying a bit of journalism buried in there, somewhere.

Here’s another solution — the opposite end of the spectrum — Netflix. Much deeper, character-driven storytelling — also shot with an iPhone.

Here then are two examples of the same story done in two ways — TikTok vs. Netflix. You decide which you prefer.

The first story was done by NBC network news.

The second by Taylor Schaub, an MMJ with Spectrum News 1 in LA (and a bootcamp grad). This was his very first video story, and it was nominated for an Emmy.

Michael Rosenblum

For more than 30 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.