Northcliffe signs deal with UGC video network Newsflare

Northcliffe Digital has announced a deal with user-generated video network Newsflare. Northcliffe titles, which include the This Is series and the LocalPeople.co.uk hyperlocal sites, will be able source videos for use on its websites from the Newsflare community of citizen video journalists. The publisher can use video that has been uploaded or can request footage from the Newsflare community, setting the amount it is willing to pay for an assignment. Northcliffe Digital sites already rely on user-generated content, with the publisher saying it receives more than 100,000 contributions each month from users, including comments and photos. Bevan Thomas from Newsflare told Journalism.co.uk the start-up video marketplace is aimed at providing video when publishers are tasked with a story that is "too breaking, too remote or too local" to gather their own footage. Similar to CNN's iReport, which has a one-million strong community of citizen journalists providing content, Newsflare aims to grow its user base. Newsflare also acts as an agency for video content, monetising footage and paying the citizen video journalist. "Reward and recognition is important for the provider of the video footage," Thomas said, adding that the copyright of the content remains with the creator. Footage can be captured with the Newsflare iPhone app and can be geolocated, aiding search and verification of the video. in the app alongside Google Street View images, helping journalists check footage was filmed at the location stated. Announcing the deal on This Is Kent, Northcliffe Digital general manager Lee Williams said: "We are excited to be working with an innovative company like Newsflare to drive the video revolution and reward quality citizen journalism. In the post Northcliffe journalist Rhys Griffyths stated: "With events such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic torch relay just around the corner, now is the time to investigate how your video could be snapped up by news organisations."