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Consumer
generated media (CGM) is a very popular phrase today.
From podcasting to blogging, the average Joe is
contributing to the news world more than ever. One
stirring example: the number of video feeds of the
tsunami disaster created by citizens using video
cameras.
Now a couple
of Web veterans hope to use CGM to create “hyperlocal”
content appearing in context with overall news stories
and reports. Frank Barnako of CBS Marketwatch recently
reported (see
story) on the proposed development of a “back fence”
plan to generate local news produced by local community
members themselves.
Mark Potts,
a founder of Washington Post Online and his partner,
Susan DeFife, who founded
WomenConnect.com, hope to harness the popularity of
blogging and the energy of independent news Web sites to
build a national network of "hyperlocal" sites.
Instead of
editors deciding what reports are generated, community
members can post a story on their local reporting site.
Then their neighbors can comment on it. Even if someone
just has a question about a local issue, it could
generate responses from community members.
This puts a
new spin on a Trylon newsletter story from 2003,
The Overlooked Media, which discussed the value of
local media relations. Larger media companies will be
able to use these local sites to provide their audiences
with essential local content and reporting - while
distancing themselves from production values that may
not reach their own level of sophistication.
This type of
community-generated media can have a great effect on
future PR plans. While posting stories just to generate
buzz might generate backlash, responding as an expert to
questions or stories directly relevant to your company
can help establish you as an authority on the topic and
a voice in the community.
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