Realizing where their real competition has been coming from, CNN is now enlisting citizen journalists to have a greater involvement in gathering news for them.
With people uploading pictures and videos of events to the Internet before "official" reporters even get to the scene, the news services are being scooped over and over again as people go to the net to get their first look at what's happening.
Time Warner Inc.'s (TWX) CNN has set plans in motion to make it easy for citizens to contribute to the news that is gathered.
"The cable news network on Tuesday plans to announce it has created a new program to let users send in digital audio and video from breaking news events in their region. Users can e-mail or upload these so-called "I-Reports" directly from CNN's site."
Susan Bunda, senior vice president of news at CNN/U.S. said in an interview that "contributions are vetted by seasoned editors much in the same way all news tips are followed up. This is an opportunity to hear the very personal stories of people who know the events ... and are able to share with the world."
Citizen journalists are here to stay. Media and networks are beginning to realize the power that is represented in creating access for those who have stories to tell.
You can tell it grating on some though as you can almost hear teeth grinding when a writer reporting on this, comments on the London bombings:
"Last year, the first grainy images of the aftermath of the London bombings came from cellphone camera images long before professional photo journalists hit the scene."
You hear it don't you? Grainy images, you know, until the professionals came on the scene. I guess they better get used to it. People are interested in seeing things quickly, but also seeing things that the "professionals" no longer have an interest in reporting on.
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