The Boston Globe became the latest of the nation's large newspapers to go to what its newsroom denizens have to see as the dark side, introducing a daily webcast today that lasts 90 seconds and is-essentially-a headline and a couple of sentences on the news du jour in and around Beantown. All in all, the Globe Today is a quick, painless news update; BUT, it doesn't offer enough to become a staple in any news junkie's diet, just not enough meat.
The paper appears to have taken the path of least resistance: a news anchor, some stills and some canned video. Instant online video cred... or not. And there's the rub.
If a newspaper is going to get online and offer up online video, it needs to do better.
The segment does have a single sponsor who gets a pre-roll ad and some overlays through the webcast and at the end, but, with an offering so devoid of content, how long's that going to last?
The Globe is owned by the New York Times-which launched its own webcast Monday; the Times webcast has the added nugget of a brief look inside the daily news meeting that editors dread attending. It also takes a much deeper look at the day's events, with brief interviews of staffers about the stories they're working on and fresh video. It's not great, but it adds to a reader's news experience, it adds value to their visit to the website.
The Globe doesn't have the resources of the mothership, but spending a few thousand dollars on a set and a couple of handycams isn't enough.
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