YouTube: break down the barriers to entry to traditional journalism

“YouTube’s journalism programme could provide a collaborative solution to the decline in traditional foreign correspondents,” says Steve Grove, head of news and politics for YouTube.

In an interview for Journalism.co.uk Mr. Grove said:

“News organisations could never afford to have a correspondent in every corner of the world with an eye on every story as it unfolds – but in today’s media landscape, millions of people around the world have the ability to contribute to reporting the news and broadcasting it globally. There is clearly a huge opportunity there.”

Mr. Grove is responsible for the launch of the reporter channel, an additional citizen news channel, and a YouTube competition for aspiring journalists in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. This initiative is called: Project:Report. The aim is: “To tell stories that might not otherwise be told.”

From YouTube’s perspective, news videos from users could help plug a gap in international and hyperlocal coverage, while the site continues to develop relations with “professional content partners” like BBC, Reuters and the New York Times.

Mr. Grove explains:

“We want to break down the barriers to entry to traditional journalism while at the same time upholding the best of traditional journalism values… We think if we do that well we’ll create journalism from out of the YouTube community that meets the quality test of any ‘traditional’ journalist.”

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