With 2011 marking the 20th anniversary of Eureka Street, the online Jesuit journal is planning to return to some of its key writers and editors as part of a commemorative online video series.
Editor Michael Mullins says the 20th Anniversary Conversations will feature interviews with current Eureka Street writers and others associated with the publication, including Fr Frank Brennan, Moira Rayner, Kerry Murphy, John Warhust, Tony Kevin and Fr Michael Kelly.
‘Each interview will attempt to articulate what a difference Eureka Street has made, does make and can make to the quality of public debate in Australia’, said Mullins.
The 12 videos will be produced by Peter Kirkwood, a former Compass journalist who has been producing a range of videos for Eureka Street TV over the last two years.
Michael says the inclusion of video on the Eureka Street website has been one of the real success stories in the move to online publishing.
‘About three years ago, we were being told that news and opinion websites without video content would lose out to those with video. We then got quotes for the cost of producing videos at a professional standard but that would have taken up most of our entire budget.’
Thanks to sites like YouTube, however, video production standards on the internet have changed. A talented video maker with a $200 camera can achieve the same impact as a talented video maker with a $20,000 camera. Michael says Peter has been an outstanding contributor to the newsletter, through both his ability as a storyteller, and his interest in the territory between belief and unbelief.
‘The web statistics have shown that many of Peter’s videos are among the most popular features on our website’, says Michael.
Eureka Street was founded in 1991 as a print journal of current affairs, the arts and theology. With well known and respected contributors from all walks of Australian life, it became one of the country’s most respected forums for analysis and debate.
It led the way for many print journals in moving to a fully online publication in 2006. With two articles available for free each day, the journal continues to provide discerning and timely commentary on today’s important issues.
Michael Mullins says the video series will enable readers to embrace the past, present and future of Eureka Street, and will also help articulate the publication’s mission in today’s world.
‘We hope that the videos will encourage visitors to the website to share their own thoughts about Eureka Street’, he said.
The series will commence in February.
Eureka Street: http://www.eurekastreet.com.au
Eureka Street TV: http://www.youtube.com/user/eurekastreetonline