By Andy Rieger
The Norman Transcript

The trip to the Cotton Bowl for the football game between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas is a rite of passage for Sooner and Longhorn fans.
Dallas is transformed into a battleground pitting the crimson and cream of Oklahoma versus the burnt orange of Texas. Sooners and Longhorns can’t get enough information on the game.
Transcript university reporter Julianna Parker helped satisfy some of that news appetite. Besides stories on the spirit squads, the band, traditions and rallies, she blogged on the newspaper’s Web site.

Video How-to

You have been uploading to YouTube but didn't like that "How I spent my summer vacation" feel the chunky YouTube logo stamped across your masterfully produced news videos.

So you are moving on to www.dailymotion.com. A bit more discreet about flashing their name out there. But what's up with these questionable "related videos" tacked on at the bottom?

Muskogee Phoenix multimedia wizard Rick Lepper has the answer along with other tips and how-to steps in a new tutorial for CNHI videographers.

By Andy Rieger
Editor, The Norman Transcript

On vacation in Puerto Vallarta this past weekend, we stumbled upon a
charter boat on fire. The 40-50 guests jumped into the Banderas Bay
and were rescued by nearby water taxis and private boats.

Of course, my journalism adrenaline kicked in and I took pictures and posted
video on the Transcript's Web site when I returned Wednesday. Within a day, an actual passenger on the boat posted comments and provided additional details that were then incorporated into the story.

By Rick Lepper
Web manager and editor, Muskogee, Okla., Phoenix

Here are some general guidelines about using video on your Web site:

Video - Keep videos short - three or four minutes, tops, and preferably around 1 or 2 minutes.
Keep talking heads to a minimum -- a few seconds -- and then switch to "B-roll" (any shots other than the on-camera interview of your main subject - such as action of the subject while he or she is working or playing or whatever the individual is doing when not being interviewed by you, as well as the environment that person moves around in.

By Derek Price
Editor, The Cullman, Ala., Times

Video lighting equipment on a budget is no problem for The Cullman Times.
We have rigged up some cheap solutions that let us make low-cost TV studio lighting from parts we found at Wal-Mart and the Home Depot. The results aren't quite as good as the pro equipment, but most people won't be able to tell the difference.
Combined with a decent microphone (we recommend the Azden SGM-X for about $110 from Amazon.com), our videos look a lot more polished than the amateur stuff that populates YouTube.