Video journalism is more important than ever

Video coverage allows us to humanise the people behind the headlines, writes Kate Gill

Our international correspondent, Bel Trew, spent more than a month reporting from Ukraine (The Independent)

It is not brand new information to anyone that we live in a time where a wealth of news – whether it’s happening on our doorstep or separated by an ocean – is available at a single click. But during a time when content is never scarce and we’re constantly bombarded with alerts, notifications and news, video journalism is the key to impactful coverage. And this is because it humanises the stories we consume.

"Video journalism is the future of journalism," I’d argued during my time training to become a journalist. Years later, I am still beating the same drum and feel even more strongly about this.

Video journalists find themselves in an incredibly fortunate position in terms of how many areas of news they cover. Whether it be breaking news, such as when our late monarch passed, the highs and lows of sport, like the moment Formula 1 veterans Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso crossed the chequered line in Japan with just a 00:01 space between them (captured at an angle the broadcasters couldn’t provide), or even reporting on the irregularities we now face with the rise of "influencers" – see the video of this rave that broke out on an EasyJet flight.