User Generated Content exploded on the web with blogging and social networking phenomenon, but User Generated News (UGN) is a relatively new phenomenon. Whereas European newspapers and broadcasters have been slow to adopt UGN, American newscasters have coined the term ‘Citizen Journalism’ with CNN’s IReport.com, MSNBC’s NewsVine.com and even Al Gore has Current.com. Enter YouReportTV.com.
People need a voice. The BBC gets an average of 10,000 e-mails or posts in a day to its ‘Have Your Say’ site and that can soar on big news days. Although that may sound an enormous number, some 5 million visit the BBC News website in a single day.
But, does news need authority? If citizens become journalists, perhaps newscasters become military? When Google CEO Eric Schmidt called the Internet a “Cesspool” last Wednesday he was referring to the quality of content and the amount of false information residing on it. Reputable reporters are needed to verify news, and editors to, well, edit. Brands play an important role in building and maintaining trust, proclaims Schmidt.
Glorified soapbox? YouReportTV is more participative than a blog. Citizen Journalism allows aggregation of localised news and if Wikipedia can do a decent job of self-regulation, maybe it’s only a matter of time before we are watching our neighbour reporting on the local ‘make cars from cake campaign’ further down the street, from their mobile phone.
Sites that promote localisation need to be seen to be local and while many UGC websites have been slow to localise (Facebook, YouTube etc). YouReportTV (YRTV) recognises that to gain mass adoption, the user experience needs to be inviting to foreign cultures, which use foreign languages. Few businesses are truly born-global, but recognising the potential, YRTV have positioned themselves as the only truly global UGN platform, by translating and promoting the website in 10 languages, across 11 counties, with plans for more.
UGN is here to stay and YRTV is leading a news bandwagon. Its business model is to sell national licenses to the media newscasters, while gaining momentum in local markets.
Need a soapbox? Visit www.YourReportTV.com
16 October 2008 11:16