http://www.youtube.com/watch?=vKKhTYNGCKqw
The link above is to a Youtube video featuring a live performance by Christian rap artist TobyMac. I beleive this video is a great example that poses a challenge. Although the person who uploaded the video may have done it for fun, they are providing information and visuals that may be possible for a mainstream journalist. If so, then is YouTube is considered a news site to some degree? What about social networking sites that provide photo posting and video capabilities?
One example I can use to relate the effieciency of social networking and YouTube was last summer during the Bob Dylan Show at Whataburger Field. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times was prohibited by the concert officials to take pictures of Dylan in concert. While a media journalist may have restrictions may be limited on what they are allowed to publish, a citizen journalist has nearly free reign. Someone could simply post photos of Dylan performing on stage, post them on Youtube or a social networking site, and provide a perspective that mainstream media could not .
This link also challenges the grey areas that are sites like Youtube, Wikipedia and social networks. Although we are not officially reporting on a subject, if we post a video or photos from an event, is that not considered reporting to some degree? Citizen journalists provide a perspective on an event. The same goes for vlogging. If they provide some sort of information in their piece that other viewers might not know, would they be considered a journalist? After all, are journalists not just storytellers for a community? We gather collective intelligence from other mediums (Photos on Facebook -> Video on Youtube -> "My friend said...") to form an opinion about a situation. The ease of uploading photos and videos also allow low artisitic barriers to be used, as well past technologies that were once exclusive to mainstream media to be used by novices.
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Sorry, guys. I just realized that the link took you to a list of videos instead of the one I discussed. However, if you've seen any video of a concert (or any event, for that matter) posted on Youtube, that is the concept I wanted to present.
ReplyDeleteI also realized the artistic barriers were present in the video I discussed, especially in sound. If I were to provide some feedback on the video, I would say use a camera that has better sound quality. The whole song sounds muffled as close the person was to the performance.