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ISU Videographer Documents Journalism Use Of Drones

Bob Carroll
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Image from God's Eye News: The Use of Drones in Journalism

Rules governing the use of drones for business and other areas are set to be released this spring by the Federal Aviation Administration. For the past couple of years, the FAA has studied the technology and how it best fits into society given obvious safety and privacy issues.

Bob Carroll, Production Coordinator for TV-10, Illinois State University's training ground for television journalists, has also been studying the issue. His documentary film, God's Eye News: The Use of Drones in Journalism was the basis of his recently-completed masters thesis. During GLT's Sound Ideas, Carroll said the highly-regulated industry remains bottled up until the new rules are released. "Basically, the use of drones is prohibited by anyone who can make money off of that use," said Carroll.

Only hobbyists are basically unregulated when it comes to drone use, Carroll said. The documentary opens with footage of a hobbyist who flew a drone over Washington, Illinois the day a tornado devastated the community in November 2013. "Think about the opening view of Sound of Music with Julie Andrews spinning on a mountain top. It's breathtaking. That's what all this drone video is," said Carroll.

The documentary screens at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday March 22 at the Normal Theater. It's free of charge and includes another documentary screening of Paper: The Editorial Side," highlighting the workings of Illinois State University's student newspaper The Vidette.

Watch the trailer for God's Eye News: The Use of Drones in Journalism

Willis is a Bloomington, IL, native. During his senior year at Bloomington High School, he finished third in the "Radio Speaking" division of the state speech contest, the only year he competed.