CellJournalist follows the Scoopt and SpyMedia model of marketing citizen media to traditional news agencies. Anyone with a cameraphone can participate and generate revenue along the way.  Registration is free and quick for budding photo journalists but the essential question of such agencies having a viable business model remain. Regardless, "if its important to you then send it in."

The Cell Journalist blog states: 'Newspapers and T.V. stations cannot cover every local event in your area.  Cell Journalist allows the community to partner with the media, so that all events can be covered.  When your images/videos/stories are used by our media partners then you get paid, it’s that simple. So go ahead send in your news postings, photos and videos about the many local events that happen in your area every day. Soon we will help you by letting you know what events and programs are happening near you. We will also let you know what types of content your local news outlets need help covering.'

That citizen media is becoming viable is of no doubt. In the past, people contributing to news stories received little or no compensation. Services such as Cell Journalist help reverse that trend and help integrate citizen media with mainstream journalism. PoynterOnline writes that Scoopt shares as much as 50% of its revenue with contributors and how competition between services is helping the overall "industry" mature and develop standards for copyright and compensation issues. Compensation, they feel will rise as the quality of submitted content increases.

One advantage of such "agencies" is that they can provide the freshest and best content for any given situation in a short time, allowing the traditional media outlets to focus on the story vs having to filter through submissions, astertain their authenticity and worry about copyrighting issues. At least that's the marketing push behind them says the Onine Journalism Review , adding that this fundamental shift in reporting should be welcomed by all parties.

MobileCrunch also raises valid issues on how CellJournalist could benefit by allowing its own users to market photos and revenue streams, giving users more control of pricing and warns rathery strongly of a potential "squashing" by established leaders such as Google and Yahoo who already have billions of images to market along with media access, should this industry keep developing.  

For more information see CellJournalist.com

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