iReporting

As I watch the TV News from time to time – I wonder at what they catch. It seems that the reporters must be everywhere. I mean at one minute they catch a story in Indonesia – and the next they are in Canada… then down to Florida. How do they do it? Where are their reporters – everywhere? Wow!

CNN is the one that seems to be the most up to date and has the most odd story lines on their continuous series – all news all the time.

I found the secret by contributing a story.

There was a question asked on the CNN site that I look at often…

Check out http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=322520 to see what I am talking about.

The question asks “What if you were car-free?” Then at the bottom of the little blurb about being without a car… it states “Share your story”.

I did it.

That opened a whole new door. I discovered a whole bunch of fellow travelers that have amazing stories and abilities. It was like coming home to a big family reunion where every one is telling their stories and accounts of their lives since the last reunion.

I clicked on “sjunat55” and looked at the profile… WOW. He is classified as a “Superstar I-reporter”… and no wonder!

Stats for this dude are amazing…
Stats for this iReporter –sjunat55

298 iReports uploaded
1,642 Comments posted
15 following
453,219 page reviews on iReport
1,984 comments on iReport
41 Followers
95 iReports on CNN

His Bio reads…
“I'm an amateur picture taker who loves photographing places as they change with time, weather conditions and light...and lately people of all walks of life. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico,I have lived in New York Cty for 25 years. Cannot get enough of Italy and Spain, my two travel passions and enjoy biking up and down the Hudson River Park in Manhattan, one of my favorite places to take pictures. My second base is Provincetown, MA -home of the most amazing sunsets in the US! In "real" life, I'm a corporate travel coordinator. Before and after work, I want to capture moments and people living them.”

Then I met… “KC Rep” and “ky42”… and many others. Ordinary people that report on what they are doing – are in the middle of – or have witnessed.

This is news at its best… it is like having dozens of eyes that can see everything – everywhere.

This is smart of CNN… unpaid reporters that dig out the news. They are then followed up by Producers that are miles or continents away from where it happened. The Producer sees the story of the iReporter and then follows up.

What an amazing and simple idea.

There are 366,996 iReports worldwide and 755 on CNN last month.

Take a look at the CNN – iReport Map at http://www.ireport.com/map

You can see the reports that make it – or have made it to CNN today. Interesting – very interesting.

In a split second you can be made famous… be on TV for whatever reason.

In an era of Facebook, Twitter and all forms of Texting that are appearing for day to day – iReporting takes a bit more thought and care.

My grandpa used to think it was something special to get to the city and hear the news first hand. On the farm the radio was very powerful when it arrived and everyone paid attention. And when TV finally was installed on the farm… every one waited for the Test Pattern so you could adjust the TV set just right before Ed Sullivan came on.

Wow – have things changed or what?!?

Heaven thoughts… I can imagine when we get there the communications that we will be capable of will make us say Wow again.

I mean – we will be able to talk to all those that have died before we did… and all those that died before we were born. That is some kind of communication that might even impress CNN.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com/

Source:
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=322520
http://www.ireport.com/map