Every camera phone user now a photojournalist

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 21 March 2006 14:06

Your IT - Home IT

Ten News in conjunction with Legion Interactive has launched a service enabling members of the public to SMS, MMS or email live video footage, pictures and text messages direct to its newsroom.

The Legion Interactive 'Mediacast' gateway - which also provides the platform for Australia's largest interactive television events such as Big Brother and Australian Idol - allows members of the public to send still images and video of breaking news stories from their mobile phone to the dedicated number 0405 101010, or via the Internet to the dedicated email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The content will then be viewed, sorted and downloaded by news staff for editing, packaging and broadcast.

Jim Carroll, Ten's head of news, said: "We gave the multimedia gateway its first trial run with the North Queensland cyclone and received half a dozen images which were of broadcast quality."

David Burden, Legion Interactive's CEO, said: "This is the cutting edge of viewer involvement in news broadcasting and as everyone with a mobile phone is a potential reporter, ten is ensured of being the first at the scene wherever news breaks."

Conscious that the system has the potential to capture news of global significance, and where the value of the images will reduce rapidly, iTWire queried who would own copyright on any material submitted and whether there would be any payment for submitters. We had received no reply at press time.