Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, iPhone, App Store
Citizen journalists: CBS EyeMobile
So, you're walking down the street and you see a bank robbery in progress, or you're driving your car down a road in rural Illinois and see a biplane crash into a loaded gasoline tanker truck. Now you can be a CBS "eye on the street" roving reporter with EyeMobile for iPhone.CBS wants you to take photos of events as they're happening, then use EyeMobile to upload your pics and report on what's happening. If the iPhone ever gets video capabilities, you'd most likely be able to use EyeMobile to upload your news videos as well. (Note to Apple: that video capture capability would have been nice in the 2.1 update.) CBS is now accepting video from other sources, like your camcorder or BlackBerry.
EyeMobile also lets you watch what other "citizen journalists" are posting. While the quality of reporting might be somewhat iffy, anything has to be better than the talking heads that the networks hire.
EyeMobile is available for free in the App Store (click opens iTunes). Get it today and start your career as the next Walter Cronkite.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Øivind said 6:12PM on 9-15-2008
The big question here is do they automatically own the rights to your uploads? And do you get paid if they use any of your pictures?
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bill said 6:22PM on 9-15-2008
How about calling 9-1-1 first?
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reallycrazyguy said 6:29PM on 9-15-2008
Yes, you transfer all rights to CBS, and no, you don't get paid.
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Brian said 6:32PM on 9-15-2008
Then, for the love of god, why.... why would you ever use this app and how often do you see news that you would keep it on your phone. Crazy.
bill said 6:35PM on 9-15-2008
"So, you're walking down the street and you see a bank robbery in progress, or you're driving your car down a road in rural Illinois and see a biplane crash into a loaded gasoline tanker truck."
These would be a good time to call 9-1-1 instead of using this app. We just become less and less engaged with the reality around us the more this kind of app is used. Would we all just have videoed and blogged Kitty Genovese being stabbed to death if it happened today?
Prolly.
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Rubbinz said 6:44PM on 9-15-2008
Skip it! Stick to the old fashion way of selling your footage to the local papers and stations.
I've done it in the past, got $2500 for a buttload of pics the last time some crazy cat lady burned her house down to the foundation.
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Rubbinz said 6:48PM on 9-15-2008
I should add that this only works for those that don't live in a large city. If you're in a medium sized place and you're the only one that was there to catch it and know that no body else has what you got, sell it. Don't give it away.
Nate True said 6:48PM on 9-15-2008
What, no mention that video recording (both live streaming and local recording) have been available with Jailbreak apps for weeks already?
If you want video, jailbreak is the way to go. I recommend Cycorder for local recording and Qik for live streaming, both are free and braindead-easy to use.
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Adam PW Smith said 6:53PM on 9-15-2008
Sigh. Another way to dumb down the news media, get cheap (i.e. free) content, and put real reporters and photographers out of a job.
Folks, if you take a picture and it's worth CBS time to publish it, then you deserve to be paid for it.
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Charles R Hamilton said 7:03PM on 9-15-2008
Maybe Dan Rather is hoping somebody finally finds "Lucy Ramirez".
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Brendan West said 9:58AM on 9-16-2008
What a horrible UI. Nowhere else in the iPhone universe do you swipe to do something but unlock, answer and turn off the phone. How'd this one get through?
PS, "Citizen journalists?" Really, CBS? Does the copy in the app remind anyone else of those fake detective kits they sell to kids? Where's my tin badge?
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