We Want Media

On Friday the Associated Press and the organization, NowPublic.com agreed to a landmark media decision. This new partnership will allow AP to use NowPublic.com photographs, video and news from "citizen journalists" in its newsgathering operation.

NowPublic.com is a Canada-based "platform for participatory news- gathering."

Citizen Journalism has been a growing trend for the past few years. In the words of Wikipedia, citizen journalism, "also known as 'participatory journalism,' is the act of citizens "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information" according to the seminal report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information, by Shayne Bowman and Chris Willis. They say, "The intent of this participation is to provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires."1 Citizen journalism should not be confused with Civic Journalism, which is practiced by professional journalists. Citizen journalism is a specific form of Citizen Media as well as user generated content."

What makes this partnerhsip so significant is the strength that it gives citizen journalism. The fact that a universally recognized wire service is using material from citizens validates this form of journalism that may not necessarily have been viewed in the journalistic light. Also, since citizen journalism is so linked to general blogs there is a sense that perhaps blogs themselves are journalistic in manner and content. This idea may be hotly debated but, the AP that services so many major news stations will soon be transferring citizen journalism all over the world.

PRESS RELEASE

AP and NowPublic.com announce a collaboration

The Associated Press and NowPublic.com announced Friday that they have agreed to an innovative initiative designed to bring citizen content into AP newsgathering, and to explore ways to involve NowPublic’s on- the-ground network of news contributors in AP's breaking news coverage.

NowPublic.com, based in Vancouver, is the world’s largest participatory news network with more than 60,000 contributors from 140 countries. The AP is the world’s largest newsgathering organization with a staff of more than 4,000 employees located in more than 240 bureaus in 97 countries.

The goal of the effort is to expand the world’s access to news as it happens, the companies said. In addition, it is designed to help NowPublic expand its rapidly growing network of worldwide contributors by exposing them to the opportunities they have to produce valuable news material.

"The Associated Press has a long tradition of pursuing citizen contributions in breaking news events worldwide," said Jim Kennedy, AP's vice president and director of strategic planning. "This relationship will make that connection even stronger and result in more news and images from people who are in the right place at the right time."

"NowPublic’s idea of a working relationship between the public as citizen media, and traditional reporters in the mainstream media started taking shape in 2006," said NowPublic co-founder and CEO Leonard Brody. "This collaboration is one of the initial endeavors."

Contributions to the AP news report from NowPublic’s network of participants could take many forms over time, said AP Deputy Managing Editor for Multimedia Lou Ferrara. "They could range from simple eyewitness accounts to originally produced content.”

In the early stages of the relationship, AP bureaus will work with NowPublic communities in selected locations on ways to enhance regional news coverage. National AP news desks also may tap the network in breaking news situations where citizen contributors may capture critical information and images. NowPublic also will help AP extend its coverage of virtual communities, such as social networks and contributed content sites, Ferrara said.