Importance of Video Skills

In case you were thinking that an increasing emphasis on video was like the weather - everyone talking about it, but no one doing anything - here's part of a Wall Street Journal ad on Mediabistro that you should see:

The Wall Street Journal Online is seeking talented video journalists worldwide to shoot and edit video on a freelance basis. You'll be assigned to work alongside some of the industry's best print journalists, helping illustrate their stories via Web video. Assignments will only be made to excellent storytellers with solid news judgment and a proven track record in video journalism. You must have your own camera equipment and be a strong FinalCut editor. We will pay a reasonable assignment rate for "all-in-one" work.

The Journal is not an easy place to break in as a freelancer, and the opportunities, as I understand it, have always been limited. But no matter what you think of the changes that Rupert Murdoch is bringing, you can make book on his understanding the need for real multimedia more than most in the various media industries. Now is the time to start learning, and maybe invest in a camera (even high definition ones are getting cheaper) and some software (you want the "Photoshop" equivalent in terms of industry acceptance).