Glimpse Into Mobile Reporting

Perhaps, we got a glimpse in to the future of reporting news.  When Michael Jackson's untimely death was announced, the local, as well as national and international, media flocked to UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, CA.

With Dave the Mobile Warrior monitoring the airwave, he noted, as did one observant local reporter, many reporters were filing their reports wireless via their Blackberries and iPhones.  Furthermore, the more famous reporter personalities were reportedly twittering updates and what was going on in the crowd.

Could be this how future reporting is going to be like from now on?  Very likely and it'll grow in sophistication.  As news networks like CNN encourage viewers and online readers to send in video and their personal reports, it is quickly becoming an experiment that reporters and news men and women are likely to follow.

Most folks carry a mobile device or smartphone equipped with at least 2MP camera.  Even some such as the G1 and the new iPhone 3G S are capable of recording decent quality video that can quickly be uploaded to networks or sites like Youtube.

In fact, Youtube revealed just today that mobile video upload increased 1700% in recent months and just 400% since the iPhone 3G S with video capability debut last weekend.

But more than just hardware technology, applications like Twitter will only become more prevalent as tools to bring break news and providing headline news to millions of subscribers.

There really no way to saw just how far the news media will embrace new technology.  As a matter of fact, the news media is usually steps behind more savy users and only after months, even years, of use does the media figure out just how they can use new technologies for their advantage.

There is hope that the media as a whole is more tech savy now.  It isn't uncommon for a portion of a news broadcast from CNN or local news to guide viewers or readers to chatrooms, tweets, emails, and online videos.  Even now, the Los Angeles news channel, KCal 9, is asking viewers to join their live broadcast in chatrooms.

As far as mobile tech goes, there is much more growth and evolution for reporting and getting news.  Just as Palm Pre has Synergy to combine texting, contacts, and calendars from across different platforms, it isn't inconceivable for the inclusion of twitters and special news feeds to be incorporated.

In fact, newspapers encountering difficulties in acquiring or just retaining eyeballs should look to a Synergy like technology that will allow them to get their materials to mobile users.

For my fellow mobile warriors out there who are thinking of journalism or have thought about it at some time in your lives, with mobile tech, it's never too late.  You just need a good scoop.

Note:  Michael Jackson's death came as a shock.  Despite his eccentricities, his music brought joy to millions and his influence crossed boundaries, industries, and ages.  Heck, he helped me launched my singing career.  Ahem...my "singing in the shower and no one can tell me to shut up" career.  I can't sing if my life depended on it for real.

Another note:  When news broke, Twitter was overwhelmed for a time.  That has not happened for a while.  Not even during the swine flu or the Iranian elections coverage brought Twitter to a crawl.