User content discussion

[Keyword: online journalism, citizen journalism, blogging]. There's a lengthy discussion on 'User Content' at NMK, with some well respected contributors, including Richard Sambrook, Head of Global News Division, BBC, and Adam Curry.

Adam Curry is quoted as saying that "within 5 years 50% of media will be created by the people", which seems a suitably vague quote to prove or not to prove, given that if you qualify the internet as 'media', the figure is probably applicable now.

Meanwhile, Richard Sambrook betrays an industry-centric perspective on citizen journalism that sees it as "just like a radio phone-in for the digital age". To compound matters, rather than citizen journalism, he prefers the term “citizen media” or “citizen storyteller”. The debate has moved on, Richard.

At the same time, he "realised that people around him knew more collectively than he did."

"In India the “See It, Report It” banner saw UGC within 12 months go from fringe
right into the mainstream. It is changing editorial culture, he reflected. The
idea that the 6 o’clock news will tell you want you want to know is now
anachronistic, as is the view that we’ll tell you what’s good for you."

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