Sunday, November 10, 2013

Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes: GoPro Camera

Part 1:
Part 2:

From 60 Minutes Overtime ~

"Stoked" CEO sets the tone at GoPro offices

On assignment for 60 Minutes, Anderson Cooper paid a visit to the offices of GoPro cameras and found an office environment unlike anything he'd ever seen: remote-controlled mini-drones whizzing above cubicles and a scruffy young staff one-upping each other with ideas for the next place to put a GoPro camera.

The man responsible for all this is CEO Nick Woodman, a 38-year-old who designed a small camera that could document his passion for surfing-- not from the shore but from the board.

Today, GoPro cameras capture everything from outer space to, literally, the bird's eye view from a hawk in flight. The company's cameras seem to have an endless number of applications; they've been used by skydivers, mountain climbers, skateboarders, motorcyclists, snowboarders, wildlife filmmakers, and even 60 Minutes camera crews.

"It gets people off the couch and out into the world doing stuff, so it's a noble cause in addition to growing our business," Woodman told Cooper.

Twelve years since the company's creation, Woodman is still surfing, and the success of his company has now earned him the title of one of America's newest billionaires. He has come a long way from where he started: selling cameras out of his van.

"I've interviewed a lot of CEOs," says Cooper. "I've never heard one who says "stoked" as many times as Nick Woodman.

From "Extras"

Oceanography with GoPros

Scientist Eric Terrill shows Anderson Cooper how Scripps Institute of Oceanography modifies GoPros to study the ocean floor in new ways. "I'm guessing the sales guy didn't dream of this," says Terrill.

AC360 Transcript
AC360 Podcast



Jaanza said...

Okay, yes, this was a fluff piece. But after covering the escaped North Korean prison camp guy, the endangered Caribbean coral reefs and sharks off the coast of South Africa, Anderson is entitled to cover softer news.

I couldn't help wondering if Anderson chose this subject because of the link to surfing. Would Anderson be as interested in GoPro cameras if the inventor, Nick Woodman, was a bird-watcher instead of a surfer?

Anyway, it was a nice piece and great advertising for the camera. I wouldn't buy one because I'm satisfied with the camera I already have and I don't like the idea of holding a camera in my mouth. But I can see how certain people will think the GoPro camera is exactly what they need/want.

Thanks ATA, for posting the video; I wasn't able to watch the broadcast ('The Simpsons' was on). I was glad to see it here, although in conclusion I wouldn't consider the GoPro report as one of Anderson's better '60 Minutes' ones.

However, seeing the GoPro piece motivated me to watch Anderson's PlumpyNut report on YouTube. It's listed as 'Nutrition for Niger (Plumpy'nut)'. The ending might have been cut off but it's the only copy of Anderson's PlumpyNut report I could find.

The ATA Team said...


Anderson's PlumpyNut 60 Minutes piece is here on ATA in it's entirity -

Jaanza said...

Thanks ATA!!! I should have checked here first.

Anonymous said...

@jaanza:No Anderson is a news reporter which means he goes where the NEWS is.
With his high six figured salary or is it seven....he doesn't dserve to go with the soft news.
If we want "soft news" we know where to find it on the E Channel and if that's what he wishes to do, than I'm sure he knows how to apply.
As Ted Turner so rightly said: THE
NEWS IS THE STAR. Maybe Anderson should repeat that line everytime he covers HARD NEWS, which isn't often enough.