While the newspaper as we know it is dying and television news channels are controlled by large media empires with special interests, it’s hard to find a “free” press source. Indeed, Herman and Chomsky would argue that their probably is no such thing as unfiltered new. That could very well be true, but current.com tries to defy that reasoning.
Chaired by politician and activist, Al Gore, Current News is an online news network that works with young viewers to create reports and shows on a variety of subjects. From hard news to movies, from music to technology, Current has something for everyone while allowing anyone to interact with its news.
On current.com, one can upload different video segments about almost anything. There are three different types of videos Current hopes one will make: TV, Pods or Ads.
TV, current says, is the easiest video to make. Using average equipment, one can film, edit and upload a TV segment in less than 10 minutes. It’s a quick and easy process, but honestly, how much quality can one produce in less than 10 minutes? A rushed project usually comes out jarring and hard to follow. Plus, the content is almost always sub-par. If Current is trying to promote the creation of “legitimate” news, they probably shouldn't be endorsing a “produce-it-quick” method towards media programing.
The next segment available to aspiring filmmakers and news anchors is the creation of “pods.” Pods are part of Current’s VC2 initiative (viewer created content). In less than seven minutes, pods tell stories and give a more focused look at a particular subject. Whereas TV is a content creation free-for-all, pods are generally of a high quality. Indeed, Current rewards well made pods with cold hard cash, giving people the impetus to create the best quality videos they can. And, if a pod is particularly good, it might be broadcast into homes around America. Enticed by the prospect of money and momentary fame, people around the world are producing better and better pods on a daily basis.
While both TV and pods give viewers the option to create whatever they want, Current News’ most brilliant idea, Ads, operates a bit differently. Sponsors make a deal with Current TV and create contests in which viewers are challenged to make the best ad for the sponsor as they possibly can. And, if a sponsor likes a particular ad, the creators are awarded anywhere from $2,500 to upwards of $60,000 depending on where the ad airs. Essentially, Current is asking its users to create good, cheap ads that promote anything from ALMAY to McDonald's. What a brilliant idea! People around the world can film their own creative and innovative ads with their friends and family, promoting the product on a local and a global level. Think of the exposure that one sponsor could get from using Current’s advertising method? It has endless possibilities.
Current.com is the definition of participatory culture. Average everyday viewers can create their own news, their own pods, even their own ads. And some pretty amazing content has come from this creative media free-for-all. Vanguard is a weekly TV show that goes in-depth into a variety of topics, anywhere from the political situation in Myanmar to the illegal gun market in the Middle East. With high production values, Vanguard comes out with some fascinating topics that are the pinnacle of Current’s potential quality.
While Vanguard and Current’s other news stories are the foundation of the project, comedy acts and entertainment review shows are also popular. Because of its YouTube-esque nature, Current has something to offer everyone.
With media changing so quickly and so drastically, it’s important to look at media projects like current.com for the future. Who knows? Companies might start following the Current model, giving more control and money to the viewers that ultimately bring in revenue. Hey, participatory culture has lifted American Idol to international success. Who’s to say it can’t help Current?
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I checked out Current, and I agree that it is very cool! All the videos and the presentation of the news are attention grabbing. However, I'm not sure I would turn to this site for quality serious reporting. As I was reading through a few of the articles that had been posted, I saw notes like this one: "From AP News wire some content is raw and not edited for post. Updated as new information is added." There was also a long line of corrections under a few of the articles I read about incorrect or falsely presented statistics.
ReplyDeleteWhile participatory culture has been a growing part of the media, its integration into news sources is somewhat concerning. It is one thing that anyone can post information to sites like youtube, twitter, facebook, or blogs, but this has different implications when the same is true for sites that are supposed to give readers factual information concerning the state of the world around them. When you go on to youtube or facebook, it is clear that the media provided is produced by a wide range of people. There are plenty of homemade videos as well as some news sources. Most people take what they see with a grain of salt. On a site like Current, where the set up suggests that the viewer will be presented with real substantive information, it creates some problems. While the wider range of participants means that there is a broader scope of potential for the sharing of information, this information is typically less researched and with less knowledge of the topic. I think sites like this need to be careful about warning their viewers about the standard of news they are receiving, so that people can have access to this wide reaching network without being deceived about the quality of reporting they are receiving.