By the people, for the people
iConflict was launched only nine days ago, and there are already big plans for the news Web site. It’s a one-of-a-kind market that targets those interested in international crises and conflict often left underreported by major news sources.
The site is on the forefront of user-generated content and multimedia, said iConflict co-founder Jason Haber.
‘If you look at current sites like CNN’s iReport, NowPublic, Newsline, you can get irrelevant news like a cat chasing a hot dog,’ Haber said. ‘There is this Wild West, anything goes mentality. That just doesn’t work. (Users) don’t want to see that. They want a place to go and not have to toggle through irrelevant news stories.’
And this is what iConflict provides. The site outlines all the possible ways for one to get his news – whether it is through videos, photos or full stories – all posted by Haber and other users.
Web sites like iConflict are on the forefront of the media transition from print to online. It targets people who care about international issues and those traveling in conflict zones, Haber said.
Mainstream media doesn’t always cover international conflict extensively or exclusively, Haber said.
‘You’re always going to see a conflict or crisis somewhere in the world,’ he said. ‘There is always a story that needs to be told.’
Yet some remain unchanged about the way they get their news. Matthew Dangelantonio, a freshman communication and rhetorical studies and Spanish double major, keeps up with the news more than he would normally because of his COM 107 class. For someone who gets his news from CNN.com and The New York Times or ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’ and ‘The Colbert Report,’ Dangelantonio is skeptical of user-generated content.
‘You have no idea who is writing these stories on the Internet,’ Dangelantonio said. ‘I think you can find credible blogs out there. But I’d be more inclined to trust something that I read in a newspaper or on The New York Times Web site.’
iConflict was founded by Haber and his brother Cory. After nine days online, the site has traffic from Europe and hopes to expand its content to include work produced by university students.
The site, Haber said, aims to empower people who live and work in conflict regions and get them to share their stories online. He wants to engage users in the news – read, listen and watch it. iConflict also works to get users to understand the important issues that are shaping the world.
In the coming months, the site will add more features, including working with young people who are interested in journalism. One of the projects is to allow students to put together video packages to appear on the Web site, Haber said.
Another plan in the works is a weekly video recap of stories that don’t make the evening news – a chance to show stories that were missed, Haber said. Those videos will be uploaded to iTunes and YouTube for users to download.
‘We’re part of the next round, where anything goes,’ Haber said. ‘We have this focus, which makes a difference. It’s the future of media. News is becoming open-source. It turns the whole notion of news on its head. It’s a whole new concept, and it’s all happening right now.’
Published on April 7, 2008 at 12:00 pm
