Yesterday at Fed Square, the white stationwagons were a dead giveaway that the TV guys were around.

Sure enough, across the road on Princes Bridge, Ted was fronting the cameras.

I got my go a few minutes later. (It was one of those days, if you didn’t know.) In the pack I can see Alan (10), Steve (Age), Kate (ABC) and a few other familiar faces. Ted’s the tall one.

A Channel 10 cameraman told the kids on Tuesday (when they came to talk to me at home, as I’d taken the day off) that the cameras are worth $70,000. The tripods $18,000. And the microphones about $5,000.

It’s a far cry from the digital camera I use to shoot video, which originally cost about $600, but the comparable model is now about $250. The little tripod we have cost about $35.

The cameraman assured the kids you could get good shots from a cheapie camera. Maybe rather than picture/sound fidelity, he was alluding to the power of citizen media to be anywhere, anytime. Yeah. That must be it.

Update Friday night: Ooh, this I like: The World Today: Connex woes could prompt mass fare evasion (transcript/MP3 download) My bit was recorded while walking down Swanston Street…