Former WFOR photojournalist Jim Robinson, aka the news mojo, recently joined Brian Andrews’ RCN News in English newscast as a South Florida based correspondent.
Jim shoots, edits and reports stories from South Florida then uploads the file to Bogota, Colombia where Brian Andrews and the RCN News in English team are based. US Americans call that a VJ (video journalist) or one-man band, which we’ll probably see a lot more at local stations in the future.
Jim was a photojournalist at WFOR and worked with Brian Andrews until Brian left CBS4 and moved to Colombia. Last year he became the station’s first mobile journalist (hence the mojo moniker) but ended up laid off at the end of 2008 when CBS went trough yet another round of layoffs at their local stations .
Brian’s creation has grown like weeds since it launched an year and a half ago. What started as one-man band web newscast, with just one video a day, is now supported by 14 staff members who write, edit, report, encode video, upload and perform hosting duties for the newscast. They’re also adding video twice or more a day and in addition to news there are also entertainment reports, plus even if you have no interest in Colombian news you can check out some some of the stories on life in Colombia.
Recently RCN redesigned the site with a new look and its own domain name, ColombiaNews.tv. And also (my personal obsession) added a new large video player with big, clear video that doesn’t look like a postage stamp on my 27″ monitors unlike say some local stations. (WFOR and WSVN I’m looking at you!)
As a web geek I really like seeing how they grew backwards, if you will, at least by traditional TV standards, going from the web to now getting aired on RCN’s global channel TV Colombia as well as on those TV screens tucked in the headrests of Avianca Airlines’ airplane seats.
You can check out RCN News in English at ColombiaNews.tv and Jim is on twitter @allplatform
There should be a story correction, Jim was never laid off from CBS4!!!! He was fired!!
True, I never hid that. Sounds like someone really want’s to point that out!!! Just another hater. I can’t imagine who would post a comment negative about me. (Sarcasm)
Not a hater! Sure you never hid that part (Sarcasm)! Good Luck!
Livng with a Colombian woman, I see his reports pop up on TV Colombia evey once in a while and is promoted lots.
I’m glad to see Jim back to work…he’s a talented journalist and was better than some of the “real” reporters at WFOR.
Jim Robinson is one of the most talented photographers and reporters I have ever worked with. I worked with him for 3 years and I was impressed with his editing, story telling, and his depth knowledge of the internet. He is sharp, likeable, and an all around good guy. No. I am not Jim. I am a former WFOR employee. Good luck Jim!
Good luck to Jim… I know we had some words regarding my opinions on “mobile journalism” and the quality compared to traditionally shot material, but I wish him well, as it was never meant to be an attack on him personally.