Jeff’s Words

Hurricane Ike in the last week menaced much of the Caribbean before slamming in to Texas on Saturday (Australian time). Ike whipped up strong winds and a huge storm surge when it hit, but also whipped up another frenzy – content generated by citizen journalists embedded in the storm’s path.
A plethora of user generated content has already hit the web, ranging from pictures and video on the websites of broadcasters, to humble videos on YouTube. The Hurricane once again proved that user generated content (UGC) is now a vital tool in news gathering. Amateur footage provides news organisations with footage and content they would not otherwise have which enhances their own stories and brings the audience more of the story. We are able to get a better feel for a story when we can see content that was produced right there and then, by those experiencing the story.
User generated content took off following the London bombings, and now some organisations have dedicated websites for UGC. CNN has I-report while Fox News has launched U-Report. Both offer the user the ability to upload and distribute their videos and photos worldwide, with some making it to air.