Google News says that the newly launched YouTube Direct is "a new tool that allows media organizations to request, review and rebroadcast YouTube clips directly from YouTube users."
I wonder if this tool will lend a new dimension to citizen journalism. Producers of video content now "can reach their own audience while also getting broader exposure and editorial validation for the videos they create," says Google News in this post.
"Built from our APIs, this open source application lets media organizations enable customized versions of YouTube’s upload platform on their own websites. Users can upload videos directly into this application, which also enables the hosting organization to easily review video submissions and select the best ones to broadcast on-air and on their websites. "
So far so good, but given the fact that some news organisations are a bit wary when it comes to Google, I’m not sure how they will view the explanation that the tool was meant to "help news organizations expand their coverage and connect directly with their audiences." How would mainstream producers of news video content welcome this kind of "help" ?
"Already, we’ve seen ABC News, the Huffington Post, NPR, Politico, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, and WHDH-TV/WLVI-TV in Boston using YouTube Direct. We look forward to seeing many more organizations to do the same."
A description of the key features of this tool on the YouTube Direct page says that it is built on the YouTube API, has a customizable interface, enables visitors to respond to "calls for content by uploading their videos to YouTube via your site without leaving the page", provides for moderation and that all approved videos viewed on YouTube will include a include a link back to the related news site.
O comments so far.