Brian Pittman's spotlight this week: Nicole Lapin, Host, CNN.com Live Video

Want to know where new media's headed? Still not sure what online video or virtual worlds mean to your day-to-day work? Need perspective on the whole Web 2.0, social media movement and its impact on the traditional press corps?

Then step outside of the PR echo chamber for the answers. Go instead to the source and ask someone like Nicole Lapin. The 23-year-old host of 24-hour online news service CNN.com Live Video is not only one of the youngest anchors in CNN's history—but she's also at the forefront of the network's digerati elite. What's more, according to Eric Steuer's recent Wired profile of the online anchor, she's charged with "pioneering the organization's future on the Internet."

Big job. But if her insight into the new era of citizen journalism and its potential effects on PR is any indication, she's more than up to the challenge. Read on to see if you agree:

How has consumer generated video changed media?

While CNN prides itself on having the world's largest newsgathering operation with hundreds of correspondents, video journalists and producers in dozens of countries across the globe, even we can't be everywhere news breaks. Further, as the most trusted name in news, CNN has a responsibility to tell the whole story—from every angle.

Starting with eyewitness reports, which over the last decades played a major role in telling the viewpoint on the scene of something like a tornado or car crash, user-generated content, when properly vetted and used, has become a unique and powerful storytelling tool.

For many years across many news events, CNN reporters, producers and executives have understood the importance of user-generated content. The 1996 Olympic bombing. The Tsunami. 9/11. The London bombings. Hurricane Katrina. Citizen journalism played a critical role in reporting the full scope of each of these news events. And as technology has advanced, with almost every cell phone now equipped with video and still cameras, so has the quality and frequency that regular citizens are capable of capturing—and sharing—newsworthy moments.

CNN responded to this growing trend by launching "I-Report" in August 2005, and it has served us extremely well, both in feature-oriented reporting and breaking news situations. You can see a sampling of the content we've received at www.cnn.com/ireport.

So user-generated content hasn't "changed" media per se so much as it has evolved with it. It also has enabled news organizations to tell a story not just from the outside looking in, but from the inside-out. Probably the most significant "change" CNN has experience with I-Report is that is has enabled us to develop a two-way relationship with our viewers and users—and that's something you can't put a price tag on.

How has it impacted what you do there?

Personally, there are two news events that speak to how I-Report has impacted my job day to day at CNN. The first, and possibly most notorious, is the Virginia Tech massacre. Jamal Alborgouthi, a Virginia Tech student, captured video on his cell phone of gunfire from the shooter that morning outside of the building where the students and teachers were murdered. The student then went home and uploaded his video to CNN.com as an I-Report submission. Quickly, our I-Report team vetted the content and got it to air and online within minutes—and it was exclusive to CNN.

So, we not only had local affiliates in that market helping us report the news as it unfolded, but we also had students sending us I-Reports from the scene of those tragic events. That day, that initial cell phone video, forever changed how people would think of I-Report—and also changed how we as reporters would think about our I-Reporters. It was a game-changer.

Just days later, I was called to report on the tragic death of a Blue Angels pilot in South Carolina—and I-Report changed the way I did my job that day. I arrived on the scene almost six hours after the crash—the crew I was with had to travel from a memorial service for a Virginia Tech student in Georgia. It was already dark by the time we arrived and most of the wreckage had been cleaned up. However, someone watching the air show that afternoon taped it with their handheld camcorder and sent us images of the crash via I-Report. That I-Report not only enabled me to gather facts I would normally get in the field, but also enabled CNN to tell the story in a more compelling way than the competition.

But it isn't just breaking news that benefits from user generated content. We had an incredible influx of I-Reports after Steve Irwin died. The same thing happened for Jerry Falwell. In many cases, user-generated content allows people to express themselves—it's instant human connection.

How has blogging impacted journalistic standards overall?

It's very important to embrace the blogosphere. Just like user-generated content, it's an additional viewpoint to which news consumers should be exposed. Nothing is more important than reporting the facts of a story. As the most trusted name in news, it would be irresponsible for us to abandon our journalistic standards. We carefully weigh information from the blogosphere with our own reporting and information, and include it when and where it fits best. Additionally, we have created places to appropriately showcase blog chatter on certain topics, including on CNN.com and during special segments from CNN U.S. Internet reporters Jacqui Schechner and Abbi Tatton on "American Morning" and "The Situation Room." Making this type of information available and pointing our users and viewers to it is a big part of we like to call "being a good web citizen."

How do you incorporate blogs into your reporting?

I have my own blog as an extension of a series I recently launched on CNN.com called "Young People Who Rock," which features people under 30 doing incredible things. I ask for questions through I-Report and then incorporate those questions (where appropriate) into the segments that I am working on.

To prepare to report on the news of the day, I peruse the blogs, in conjunction with larger, traditional publications like The New York Times, L.A. Times, WSJ and The Washington Post. It's all part of my morning routine.

Further, my producers and I consider how we can use the blogosphere to expand a story. For example, if CNN.com's major story is on politics—like recently when President Bush commuted Libby's sentence—we're asking ourselves: Who's linking to that story? What are they saying? Is this blog adding such perspective to the story that we would point viewers there for more information?

Once you admit that you yourself don't have all the answers, once you realize that there is no one "voice of God" newscaster or organization, then you are truly a strong communicator.

Are bloggers reporters?

That's a very interesting question. As new media has expanded the "normal" platforms news is delivered on, roles and their corresponding delivery mechanisms certainly have been redefined. Many traditional reporters actually have their own blogs—including me, though I don't think I'm that traditional. So I think it honestly depends on the blogger as to whether or not they also can be classified as a "reporter." At the end of the day, though, we all contribute to the marketplace of ideas.

What big media-impacting trends do you see in the year ahead?

At CNN.com we're certainly focused on user participation and unique storytelling—through text, photos, interactive features and as much video as you can handle. And we're all deathly afraid of how we'll look in HD! Seriously, I think the biggest trend is that news is EVERYWHERE—on your TV, computer, iPod, mobile phone... Who knows where it will pop up next. Bottom line: Understanding the growth trends and consumption habits of consumers will impact everyone's job in the media, including PR professionals.

Your advice to PR practitioners, sources and others for working with the new generation of tech-savvy journalists (like yourself)?

Research, research, research. Traditional PR folks have some media jargon down most of the time in order to relate to our TV reporting needs—"b-roll," "SOTs"—it's a long list. But, as we move into the digital arena in reporting, publicists' understanding of the terms and needs of the medium should follow. If I am looking for an interviewee to join me via webcam or iChat or looking for I-Report submissions on CNN.com, it's critical for you to know what I am talking about. Better yet, I would love it if you suggested alternate methods of conducting a "high-tech" interview or piece—don't be afraid to be creative, and have the courage to experiment with us. We're all learning a lot about how the landscape is changing.

Do you have any general media relations tips (or peeves) to share with PR folks?

My biggest pet peeve is when PR folks spell my name with an "h"! Really, that indicates a lot to me. It shows that a publicist hasn't done his or her homework, and here we're not even getting into the tech-savvy stuff. Oh, and I hate paper press kits, but I love JPEG files and electronic video.

Do you have an iPhone yet? Are you getting one?

Confession I might regret: I'm a Mac girl through and through. I'm also a huge nerd. So, I probably will be getting one. But, I'm also a super-busy Mac girl nerd—so I haven't picked one up yet.

What's on your iPod right now?

These days, my iPod is the home for my podcasts—another great reporting innovation. There are some really high quality and timely podcasts out there—in video and audio—and they're free on CNN.com and iTunes. I usually watch my favorites, like "AC360" or "The Gryst," on the plane or in the gym.

Email bpittman@bulldogreporter.com with questions or comments.

Reader response:

Great interview. Brian Pittman does a wonderful job of getting to the crux of the matter.—skayser