• Ars Technica, Wednesday, May 21, 2008 11:32 AM

Thanks in part to the proliferation of video-enabled smartphones and other mobile video devices, just about anyone can (and does) report breaking news these days. And what better place to broadcast you-news than YouTube? Indeed, the Google video site is hoping to corner the burgeoning citizen journalism movement through its new news channel, "Citizen News". Lame name notwithstanding, Citizen News was inspired by all the news reporting, interviewing and investigating that already regularly turns up on YouTube.

But parent Google obviously sees the potential for something bigger. According to Ars Technica, the Citizen News channel already has over 70 YouTube citizen journalists who can be subscribed to. Ars provides a couple of examples, like "Texascountryreporter," who covers "the back roads of Texas to find the people and places who make the Lone Star State one-of-a-kind." Another, a news network called "TheRealNews", boasts impressive production values and "thousands of $10 donations" from users around the globe who make its productions possible.

Google isn't the only media company embracing citizen journalism, but through YouTube, it may have the delivery mechanism that could take it mainstream. Earlier this year, CNN launched a citizen journalism initiative called iReport, which allows anyone to upload and discuss news focused content form around the world.

Read the whole story at Ars Technica »