These days it seems like everyone has a digital camera or camcorder, whether built into their phone, notebook, or PDA or slim dedicated devices habitually carried in their bags—and the image quality and capabilities of these devices keep improving. Now news organizations are increasingly hoping to tap into the camera-equipped populace, with Yahoo and Reuters working together to launch You Witness, a program designed to invite the public to submit eyewitness photos of newsworthy items and breaking events.
Yahoo will operate the backend behind You Witness, and plans to include selected user-contributed images and video as part of its Yahoo News offerings. In addition, the submitted materials wil be made available to Reuters, which will edit and distribute selected images to other news outlets. For now, users can send pictures or video of news items to pics@reuters.com or upload via the Web from Yahoo’s You Witness site beginning December 5, 2006.
The idea behind You Witness is similar to CNN Exchange, launched in August 2006, which invites users to upload images and video to CNN for possible use in CNN’s online and broadcast properties, but which also comprises an online community whereby users can share and discuss items. While Yahoo and Reuters have yet to disclose any terms of use for uploading images or video, potential contributors would be well-advised to read all terms and agreements carefully, as they’re likely to bevery similar to those used by CNN Exchange. In other words, contributors will not be paid for the use of their images, and by submitting items, users will likely be granting Yahoo and Reuters non-exclusive, free rights to edit, broadcast, publish, syndicate, or otherwise distribute the content in any medium. Forever.
