BBC Misses User Generated Media Opportunity
Nov 18th, 2006 by Dan Blank
The BBC is now soliciting user generated content. They are offering to pay for material that is “particularly editorially important or unique.”
But then, aren’t they missing the point? Trying to control user generated media - becoming the editors for the world, is simply a missed opportunity for a giant tiptoeing into a vast ocean that it can’t control.
Using user generated content to support their organization in more creative ways - or, and pardon me for overstepping some boundaries - but opening up new channels for their readers to become part of the conversation.
User do not need to control the headlines - but they can add an incredible depth at the second or third tier of a story. Why not create a sandbox and see what users create - it would probably save several hundred internal BBC meetings, as they try to fit user generated media into their tidy little plans.