User Content: Good or Bad?

After watching the video about the decision making for the online editor, I finally realized how much the news is becoming based on materials that are received from the viewers that have opinions or just happen to be at the right place at the right time. This new realization makes me understand how much news content is always changing and how everyone is always eager to find the best angle of a story no matter who it comes from.

I think that user content is very useful to news, but it often scares me as I think of the stories that may be lost to journalist, because of the people that are actually at the scene of a story. On the other hand, without personal stories or videos, most of us would never be able to get a feel of what exactly happened at that point in time. For example with the shootings at Virginia Tech, there was no way a reporter could have gotten a video of the guy in action in that classroom. In order to offer the people what they want sometimes measures have to be taken so that a story can feel more real. User content is a new way that viewers can feel more apart of the news stories that develop.

I have never contributed to user contents, but I would like to be of any help with shaping a news story if I'm ever in a situations where more news is needed. It would be great to have my day of fame knowing that I was apart of adding to a news story.

News to me is a conversation. Anytime I actually watch the news, I feel like the reports are there to answer all my questions, tell me a story, and keep me informed on any information that may come later. That's exactly what a conversation is, it's someone telling you as much information as you want to hear and the ability to answer questions in the end. I may not be able to actually hold a conversation with a reporter, but they will probably answer all the questions that may come up.

I think main stream media will probably change the way they produce news by adding some contents of local people who have videos or photos that may be useful for different stories. This way news will continue to have conversations with their viewers at home. I believe this content is for the better of news. It makes news seem more personal when someone has video footage from a crime scene or an event. It's a different angle that is not always seen in news.