Bloggers and Journalism

"Writers who work for nothing: It's a licence to print money" - John Naughton

• Images taken from a mobile phone is an example of user-generated content, e.g. somebody involved in the Virgin train crash took a photo on their camera phone and sent it to the BBC.
• The 7/7 bombings were the first time that news networks had realised the need for user-generated content as their own photographers could not get access to the sites that were wanted.
• All over the world people are now publishing photos and videos on the web, with over 161 billion gigabytes published last year alone.
• Optimists see this new wave as an excellent way for people all over the world to express themselves freely using the internet.
• Media moguls have realised that creative consumers can help their businesses as they are willing to give information for free if you give them space.
• This means that the distribution of production is moving towards the general public but the economic rewards are going to a few rich businessmen.