| When terrorists attacked London's transport system in | | | | from a camera phone live to the networks. |
| 2005, the first images of what had happened did not | | | | That is exactly what happened in New York when a |
| come from the news cameras or the newspapers, | | | | small plane crashed into a building in 2006. A |
| but the people who actually lived through the ordeal | | | | cameraman was filming nearby when the incident |
| themselves. | | | | happened and in order to get there and film quickly he |
| Pictures and videos from the cameras built into | | | | used his Treo Smart Phone, which streamed the video |
| passengers mobile phones, soon after these pictures | | | | complete with his commentary to the news network |
| were being shown to the world on major news | | | | he worked at and was shown live. |
| networks such as Sky News and CNN. Before long | | | | Mobile phone manufacturers are now recognizing this |
| people from the US were posting online messages | | | | trend and including methods that everyday phone |
| such as: "I am watching this on the news in the US, | | | | users can upload their own content on to the internet. |
| praying for you all". | | | | Manufacturer Sony Ericsson has a deal in place with |
| This is just one of the many cases in recent history | | | | blogging website, eBlogger so that users of their |
| when men and women on the street have been able | | | | phones can upload photos to a blog instantly wherever |
| to provide valuable news content at lightning-quick | | | | they are. When they can access a computer they can |
| speed. | | | | add to this blog in other conventional ways such as |
| This concept has been developed further by news | | | | written text too. |
| companies worldwide, where correspondents and | | | | This allows mobile phone users who may be away to |
| reporters in the field are being given smart phones with | | | | be able to upload photos to a blog for family and |
| cameras to take photos and capture videos, coupled | | | | friends to view potentially miles away. |
| with the ability to upload these back to the TV stations | | | | Some social networking sites such as Facebook also |
| for news broadcasts. | | | | offer this service via MMS and can let users upload |
| AfricaNews has done exactly this and is a fully | | | | photos from their mobile phone on to the internet for |
| interactive online news site. They have four reporters | | | | others to see. |
| who produce articles, photos and videos of news | | | | Although free, these services still cost users through |
| reports entirely from their mobile phones. All they need | | | | data charges by mobile phone service providers. So if |
| are mobile phones with adequate features (GPRS and | | | | you intend to upload pictures and other media from |
| a camera at least), access to a cell tower and some | | | | your mobile phones then you should check with mobile |
| credit. | | | | phone operators about charges for data usage. |
| The benefits of this approach are that often these | | | | With over 600m camera phones in circulation, the |
| news networks will get the details of breaking stories | | | | potential coverage for newsworthy events is greater |
| hours before the satellite vans arrive on the scene. | | | | than ever. Many news channels and papers actively |
| It's the obvious next step from eyewitness phone calls, | | | | seek content from the public, sometimes offering |
| and while in cases like the London bombings their | | | | payment for such items. As this is explored further it |
| recorded images were shown on network television, | | | | seems the world is no longer such a large place after |
| there are devices available that can stream the video | | | | all. |