You Break the News

Things aren't moving fast enough for you in our hyper-cyber world? Then how about these two news items. Just as many over-35s are getting used to a world in which it seems everybody but them is participating in an online block party known as Myspace, now it turns out that YouTube, an upstart service in which people with too much time on their hands can upload their own homemade video clips (and download others)has ALREADY surpassed Myspace as the most popular community site on the Web.

Give yourself all of 10 seconds or so to let that news become part of your body of knowledge. Now, consider that CNN is reportedly going to announce tomorrow (Tuesday) that it will be establishing a new program to allow viewers to send in digital audio or video clips from breaking news events. This, of course, takes a giant leap from just a few years ago when networks and local stations began accepting (and occasionally paying for) video of breaking news (or just cool video) from the public.

Although CNN says it will have editors scrutinize the video in the same way they currently do with news tips and reporter-generated stories, you can be sure that the day is not too far off when an elaborate video hoax will somehow find its way onto the air. Still, these developments give viewers still more power in a world where the words "media" and "general public" are becoming harder to distinguish. This news proudly brought to you by your neighborhood blogger.