Reporters like Swiss Army knives

Thanks to Kevin Armstrong for sharing this from broadcastengineering.com. Is it a glimpse into our future?

Armed with a new generation of portable digital media tools, the reporters will do the jobs of five or more traditional network specialists. By researching, reporting, writing, shooting video, editing and feeding their own material, the new breed of “bureau chief” will combine the original role of field producer, correspondent, video camera crew (with lights and sound), video editor and field engineer.

The solo bureaus are being opened in Seoul; Rio de Janeiro; Dubai; New Delhi and Mumbai, India; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Nairobi, Kenya. For support, the solo reporters will work with ABC’s international news partners, including the BBC, APTN, NHK and ARD. Additional support will come for the network’s larger bureaus in London, Moscow, Jerusalem, Baghdad and Beijing.

Each reporter’s technology package will compacted to a portable DV camera, a laptop, and —depending on the location — satellite phones or broadband connections. There will be no office — the reporters will work from home.

Read the whole thing by following the link.