WHAT FOR ?

This website aim to be a reliable source about the hardware and software tools for journalists of the 21st century. As writers have to take pictures, photographers have to write small articles and as one-man-band journalists are blooming everywhere, Journageek.com wants to help all the journalists, bloggers and citizen reporters to carefully choose their tools in an age where producing  quality journalism is technically easier than ever, but financially a daily combat. You’ll find fair reviews of products I’ve tested or used in my work, news of interesting upcoming products along some links and personal “do it yourself” tricks.

In addition to that, I’ll share news about the media, like interesting web documentary, thoughts about the media-sphere, journalist’s pieces of work or just interesting things.
This website is written by a Frenchman so please be tolerant about the mistakes/misspells/typos. Thus said, any correction is welcome. Feel free to email me, should it be related the written flaws or about the articles themselves.

For my dear French fellows, English is the Latin of our century, I’m sorry not to have the time to write in both languages in this personal website.

Who’s talking?

I don’t like the typical Anglo-Saxon  3rd person résumé I read so often, so let me introduce myself simply: my name is Adrian BRANCO, I’m a 31 years old (and counting) French journalist based in Paris, and my professional life has two wonderful sides…

SIDE A : hitech reporter/reviewer

My main job : hitech reporter/reviewer for the website 01net.com and the weekly magazine Micro Hebdo

On the sunny side of the moon, my daily job is to be an editor for 01net.com (the first IT website in France) where I review products, mainly digital cameras, video cameras, laptop computers, creative software, etc. I usually write but I also talk in the front of the camera and, sometimes, take pictures and/or videos. I enjoy trips leading me to international fairs and trade shows where I can meet the big hi-tech companies, with whom I can (try to) understand the rules of the market or the choices that were made in the conception of the products. Every day I run tests on products – sometimes even prototypes – and I have a privilege access to some services in the early days of their running. Thus said, I never (ever) forget that my duty belongs to my readers.

SIDE B : warzone journalist, photographer, cameraman, documentarist, etc.

On the dark side of the moon, I dedicate most of my spare time in freelance reporting in war zones. I traveled in the Middle East, but my first noticeable project is about the daily life of the French soldiers in Afghanistan where I spent weeks with the troops deep in the valleys. This work was published on the website of Liberation, of one of the major French daily newspaper. You can watch it here : http://www.journageek.com/webdoc/01_retrait_afghanistan/

When I’m on the field I shoot pictures and videos, I write the stories, run video/audio interviews, record myself the comments and edit my own work:  a real one-man-band journalist. Except for the flash coding who was done by my friend Guillaume Garvanese (his website) and the music, composed by my friend Kenma Shindo (his website). Although I only lose money with it, each trip outside my western world is a gift and the time and money I’ve spent was worth it for me. I hope I’ll be really soon able to share these experiences.

Why are you doing this ?

I’ve found that the combination of these two works interesting in many ways: when I’m a freelance reporter, I have no chief, no heavy pressure (except the money I spend and the days of holidays I’m loosing) I can dig deep into my subjects, I can take the time to think and to work.

When I’m a hitech editor, I can use the knowledge of the field, of my travels, of the many discussions I have to the large variety of people I meet, to try to answer correctly the questions the public can ask themselves about the products/services I’m reviewing.

At the end of the day I’m a journalist that like tea, dark chocolate, the great outdoors, running under the bullets and mortars (and survive), and discovering the best restaurants in town (wherever I am) with my girlfriend.
With this website I don’t plan to become rich nor famous, just to share my passions and give relevant informations.
Adrian