The original user-generated content

What is the world’s fifth most recognisable brand? Up there with McDonalds and perhaps Nike sits Al Jazeera, the Middle Eastern news network, reports The Australian on 7 August 2008. This seemed a surprising statistic to me, but when Osama bin Laden used Al Jazeera to broadcast his videos, this news station became big news itself.

Not only did this catapult Al Jazeera into the world spotlight, but it ‘may also have unwittingly ushered in the era of user generated content’ by broadcasting video from an outside source.

Head of new media at Al Jazeera, Mohamed Nanabhay, came to Australia earlier this year to attend a media conference in Melbourne. He explained that the network ‘was developing ways to bring its services to people with limited access to technology’ and would also focus on capturing the youth market, as this demographic will continue to contribute user-generated content.

Al Jazeera is currently struggling to find an American broadcaster, a fact that Nanabhay finds ironic as US networks will often screen Al Jazeera footage without a second thought.

But it is in the internet that Al Jazeera sees the most opportunity to expand its audience base. Already the network broadcasts on YouTube, another strategy in targeting the youth market.

Nanabhay also commented on the role of traditional journalism in this era of user generated content. He believes that professional, skilled journalists still play an important part within Al Jazeera, particularly in investigative reporting where the risks are high and sometimes life-threatening.

Al Jazeera is experiencing many of the same media issues in the developing world as we are in the Western world - professional vs. amateur, mobile television, cross-platform broadcasting, user generated content. However, the network demonstrates a commitment to equality by striving to reach audiences who have limited technological access.

Through this it is obvious that Al Jazeera, perhaps more than the networks here in Australia, has recognised the importance of arming all people with information regardless of their economic background. Al Jazeera is not just moving forward with the technology, it’s also reaching back to make sure no one gets left behind in the process. And there is a valuable lesson in that for the Western media.

Article: Al Jazeera gets the message from users

Image source: http://english.aljazeera.net/