On Tuesday, YouTube is scheduled to launch a new channel where citizens can upload footage of newsworthy events to be picked up by media outlets. The channel, called YouTube Direct, allows citizens to record footage of an event and then submit it to a participating news organization's Web site with the click of a button. The news organization can then review and manage the user-generated content for inclusion alongside its own content and even reach out to the videographer for additional information.
So far, major news organizations using the service include National Public Radio, The Washington Post, ABC News and the San Francisco Chronicle.
