A no brainer?

While journalists used citizen journalism to provide faster footage of the Virginia Tech shooting, they are dropping the ball in other areas.
Image from Microsoft clip art.

The first footage I saw of the Virginia Tech shooting was cell phone video on CNN television by Jamal Albarghouti.

While I don't think Albarghouti's video added much information to the Virginia Tech coverage, it opened a door that allowed others to follow. Students began submitting photos and video to media outlets.

Surprising? No.

All journalists know the internet allows instant access to information. Why is it so surprising that non-journalists can see this too.

It might be because readers aren't smart enough to figure out how to start an audio slideshow — at least that is what some newspapers, like the Chicago Tribune, think.

I mean come on. People aren't that stupid. Online publications don't need a button that says "start" to help readers figure out audio slideshows. The icon for a play button has been the same for years.

The same goes for the Internet. Its defining aspect has been instant information.

Plus, it's not the first time citizen journalism has been used. CNN has a whole site dedicated to I-reports from citizen journalist.

I've said it before — citizen journalism should be used for spot news events. It's a no brainer.

The amount of citizen journalism used in the coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting helped show the magnitude of the event.

Technology and citizen journalism helped feed people who were hungry for information on what was happening in Virginia Tech.

Don't get me wrong, I think the coverage of the shootings at Virginia Tech has been done well.

Once the funerals are over, journalists will head back to their newsrooms to debate and argue over the causes and motives of such an act. Everyone will sit and debate whether easy access to guns, videos or television violence is to blame.

Hate to break it to you, but there is a world outside the United States. Those people have access to guns, video games and violent television, too, and you don't see situations like Virginia Tech there. there is a problem here.

Journalists should try looking into it. It's called in-depth reporting.

Unfortunately, citizen journalism can't help you do your job there.