ITV News has just launched a ‘citizen journalism’ segment called Uploaded, promising to feature the best video contributions from viewers in its big three ITV bulletins. ‘The plan is to seed a topic to debate at 7.30am each morning by email to all those signed up to the Uploaded website,’ says Media Guardian. ‘Uploaded already has about 100 people signed up as a foundation group. The initiative aims to develop a select group of about 10 international citizen correspondents from flashpoints such as Zimbabwe, Iraq and Gaza.’ It’s the usual array of submission methods – MMS, email, web upload.
There’s a video clip explaining the project, but be warned – ITV doesn’t make it easy. To start with, you’ll need to be using IE, and may have to download a ‘security patch’ (?). Then, before each clip, you’ll probably have to sit through a 30-second commercial. For perhaps a minute of actual content? From someone who may or may not have any valuable insight? In rubbish video quality, and worse audio? Forget it.