Video journalism is a vital part of an important profession. Every day, just about all of us get some (or most) of our news through video reports, either on news websites or through local or national broadcasting. Such news is enriching to our daily lives and a vital part of a functioning democracy. Consequently, it is important that the people who bring us that news – video journalists – understand the medium they are using and the role that their work plays in society. This book was written to help further those goals. In Video Journalism: Telling Stories with Video and Words, Sam Swan, a professor at the University of Tennessee, has laid out the basic concepts that students should know about the exciting work that video journalists do. By reading this book and applying the techniques it describes, a student who is interested in learning about this profession will gain a good grounding in what it takes to be a video journalist. This book also contains a chapter on the First Amendment and is part of the Tennessee Journalism Series.