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Briggs Ch. 3 February 8, 2011

Posted by acusumano in : Assignments , trackback

As anyone can have their own blog, it’s only fitting that news itself has become a much more collaborative process given all the new technology that bridges the gap between citizens and the media elite. Even sites as prominent as CNN now rely heavily on readers submitting news stories and videos. This global sharing process, dubbed “crowdsourcing,” creates a more transparent news environment, so the cream rises to the top.

I don’t necessarily agree with the “everyone can be a journalist now” mentality–it takes a certain amount of skill and more than just finding news to qualify for that title in my view–but I do like this new collaborative attitude. With so many avenues of news and distractions, it makes perfect sense to connect with readers by involving them in the process.

Similarly, news organizations are utilizing a more open-sourced method of reporting that, while not entirely transparent, allows readers to have a more thorough part in the process, from providing news to commenting on it. Just about any YouTube comments page will showcase the dangers of allowing audiences to share their thoughts on content, but readers tend to appreciate the possibility of being heard.

Any organization that does not embrace collaborative publication will have difficulty maintaining reader interest. In our fame-obsessed culture, there’s nothing like seeing your name attributed to a story.

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