CNN to Launch iReport.com
Posted on February 12, 2008
CNN is going to expand its citizen journalism website onto a new web property called iReport.com. The website is not yet live but Mediaweek previewed the website. They say that the website will be wide-open for "Wannabe Anderson Coopers" to upload anything they want.
That's all about to change. Time Warner's CNN this week will enter YouTube territory with the launch of iReport.com, a new Web site built entirely on user-produced news. And unlike CNN's own properties-where only iReport submissions that have been handpicked by editors and checked for accuracy ever make it online or on air-the new site will be wide open, allowing users to post whatever content they choose, CNN said.This does create some new competition for YouTube which is home to millions of user-generated videos. YouTube also has lots of California wildfire videos as well as citizen coverage of other newsworthy events. CNN may be hoping that some of these people might decide to upload their video reports to both YouTube and iReport.com - or just drop YouTube in favor of CNN's citizen journalism brand. CNN started the iReport service back in 2006.The new site looks and feels much like YouTube and other video-centric destinations. Wannabe Anderson Coopers can upload videos, photos and audio files through an easy-to-use interface. Visitors to the site can search for specific clips or sift through various news categories, such as politics or weather. Users also can rate and share clips, and even embed them on personal Web sites.
CNN executives acknowledge that iReport.com's openness is something of a departure for a news organization that prides itself on accuracy and editorial judgment. But iReports have become increasingly popular, and in many cases have even proved beneficial in the reporting of breaking news. Some of the most compelling footage from last April's shootings on the Virginia Tech campus came from the 420 user-gen video clips CNN received, while last year's California wildfires yielded more than 11,000 submissions.