Why video?

Used wisely, video reaches more viewers and a wider audience, informing viewers of our FCO goals and objectives. Our YouTube channel is full of interesting videos, playlisted to support our departmental objectives.

Video review

The Foreign Office is undertaking a review of how we commission and use video. The video and audio department at the Central Office of Information are working with us from October 2009 to April 2010 to fine tune our requirements. From November 2009, we'll use video in two different ways:

1. YouTube will be the home of user-generated style footage. If you've captured vox pops from an event, taken footage on the move or conducted casual interviews, YouTube is the place to upload clips.

2. FCO branded player will be the home of professional video footage, at present, produced by COI. Archived stream material and interviews with ministers, will live here. The FCO site, and selected country websites, will be trialling the use of the new FCO video player.

If deemed appropriate the same video can be uploaded to YouTube, to reach an extended audience, and the FCO player.

Long term goals:

• Use branded video player for professional / campaign targeted footage (key speeches, event summaries, strong narratives)
• Train Digital Diplomacy team (2009) and web editors to be video journalists (2010)
• Train ministerial teams, and those who accompany minister, to film on location
• Conduct user testing on our current player. Develop version 2 when required.