The rise of citizen journalism has created several issues in recent years. As news sharing becomes increasingly decentralised, audiences are more likely to question the validity of content and become entrenched in their own world view. This means tackling misinformation is more important than ever, writes Steve Wise, global marketing director, Atomos
By Contributor
Published: September 21, 2023
The rise of citizen journalism has created several issues in recent years. As news sharing becomes increasingly decentralised, audiences are more likely to question the validity of content and become entrenched in their own world view. This means tackling misinformation is more important than ever, writes Steve Wise, global marketing director, Atomos
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
While media organisations still have the resources to offer the most polished and well-researched broadcasts, they can't be everywhere at once. The capture and distribution of breaking news was previously managed by outlets that needed to ensure journalistic integrity and be accountable to their audience. Now with the ubiquity of mobile devices, the face of news gathering has changed beyond recognition.
To fully understand complex global issues such as climate change, viewers need the right context and background to make informed decisions. Quality reporting requires time to fact-check and build a story, but broadcasters need to adapt to an increasingly fragmented media landscape. The challenge broadcasters face is the veracity of citizen journalism - if anyone, anywhere, can produce a news story, then accuracy cannot be guaranteed. There are quality independent outlets that are leveraging social media to disseminate well-researched stories, but not everyone has the experience, or the motivation to ensure accurate reporting.
The role of user-generated content There are several reasons to remain skeptical about user-generated content and the majority of these revolve around objectivity. It is not uncommon for groups with vested interests to bend the story to support their cause, destroying any impartiality. It is certainly easy to mislead an audience with selective editing or the removal of vital context. But even worse, in some cases the action presented in a news piece might have been completely staged and doesn't reflect a genuine event.
To avoid misinterpretation there is an urgent need to get accurate news contribution reports in front of viewers, before inaccurate versions of a story become widely disseminated. Especially as social media rewards controversial content to achieve higher levels of engagement. Citizen journalism can offer several benefits, so it's important to harness the positive aspects to ensure that news broadcasting evolves in the right direction. If a news piece is shot and edited by someone with intimate local knowledge, it can be a raw and truthful reflection of what is happening on the ground. This is especially true in culturally sensitive situations where without a full news team, citizen reporters can access newsworthy events as if they were just another member of the public.
Challenging unverified content One way to counter the deluge of inaccurate information is to publish the verifiable version as soon as possible. There's a simple logic, if you can get a news event out before everyone else then your piece will get the most engagement. But the challenge is that breaking news has to be online within minutes, if not seconds, to beat the smartphones that also captured the footage.
Recent technological developments are helping genuine news gatherers to post polished, branded news items on-air or on social media almost immediately. Camera to cloud involves sending a proxy file directly from the camera into the cloud, where it can be quickly edited and packaged before sharing. Just a few years ago, this was experimental technology and barely a proof of concept, but it is now affordable and reliable and is helping to challenge the impact of misleading or biased content.
Connectivity and latency As mobile bandwidth continues to improve and terrestrial mobile connectivity migrates to 5G, high speeds and low latency are becoming the norm. Proxy workflows in the cloud can also leverage multiple bonded 4G/LTE connections for reliable and fast news contributions. For locations where there's no mobile coverage, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations offer usable bandwidth. Within two or three years, there won't be anywhere on Earth that doesn't have a reliable mobile internet connection to facilitate Camera to Cloud.
Cameras don't typically have any ability to upload proxy files, but Atomos has developed products for this purpose, and this enables users to record a master camera file at the same time. The ability to upload footage in the background while still shooting drastically reduces the time it takes to capture, edit, and share content. Proxy files have also improved significantly and can be good enough to publish directly, without relinking with the original camera files.
Transforming news production Technical innovation is changing the face of news production, editing your cloud video files in a browser removes the need for a traditional workstation. Once edited, you can send your media without transcoding it directly to social media platforms or straight to a newsroom. Camera to Cloud is a catch-all description for a bouquet of technologies that are revolutionising the newsgathering landscape. It is likely to become the default modus operandi for all types of production, not just news and current affairs. It offers professional news gatherers and producers the same sort of immediacy as citizen journalists but allows them to retain the values of accurate reporting.
In the face of a relentless 24-hour n
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
When MMA icons Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano meet inside the Hexagon at Intuit Do...
15/05/2026
Daniel Roher attends the Tuner Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Neilson Bar...
15/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
15/05/2026
Rebranded show announced
Ahead of their 2026 return, Music Expo have announced that they have now officially changed their name to the MONO Music Conference...
15/05/2026
Fuzz pedal joins UK companys line-up
UK-based pedal makers Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices have recently unveiled their latest creation, the Bolster. Said to pay...
15/05/2026
Joint Statement: News Bargaining Incentive
28 April, 2026
Media releases
The vibrancy of Australian democracy relies on the robust and open exchange of new...
15/05/2026
Call it Deltavision, Australia's through to the Grand Final of this year'...
15/05/2026
Join Calrec at MPTS 2026 | May 13-14 | Stand A40 | Olympia, London We're looking forward to meeting up with customers and partners at this year's Media ...
15/05/2026
86% of media planners would move more linear TV budget to CTV if they had show-level targeting and reporting - and 65% would also shift dollars from programmati...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Clear-Com will showcase new communications solutions and major platform updates at InfoComm 2026 (Booth N7005), June 17-19, in the North and Central Halls of t...
15/05/2026
Following an outstanding inaugural year in 2025, Rise AV is proud to announce the return of its flagship leadership initiative, Elevate. The programme continues...
15/05/2026
Berklee Announces Lineup for Inaugural AI Music Summit The three-day event puts musicians at the center of the future of music creation, ethics, and the indus...
15/05/2026
Lightware returns to InfoComm 2026 with a focused showcase of scalable USB-C connectivity, next-generation AV-over-IP solutions, and technologies that help over...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Delivering a live, arena-scale production of a massively popular band is no small feat. Between expansive in-arena LED walls and a global live stream fed to onl...
The rise of citizen journalism has created several issues in recent years. As news sharing becomes increasingly decentralised, audiences are more likely to question the validity of content and become entrenched in their own world view. This means tackling misinformation is more important than ever, writes Steve Wise, global marketing director, Atomos
