Marketing Pilgrim

MSNBC is launching a site for citizen journalists to contribute to their news. As a separate site, FirstPerson has a social media twist to it:

In the coming months, you will see the FirstPerson logo show up throughout the site, seeking your input and contributions on stories both serious and light-hearted. You will also be able to quickly scan through FirstPerson submission requests from throughout the site. . . .

See FirstPerson content from other readers you like? We invite you to vote for your favorite reader-submitted photos and video, and will let you know which ones the editors liked as well.

Although they say they’ll be taking “input and contributions on stories both serious and light-hearted,” right now their site is mostly requesting color stories: quirky local attractions, celebrity look-a-likes, dog photos, vintage car photos . . .

Looks like a blogger’s chance to break into mainstream media. However, it’s still MSNBC’s site: “Content you send in may be published online, and in some cases could be featured on NBC News and MSNBC-TV programs.” They continue to exercise editorial control, which may make it easier for them to avoid copyright violations. There’s even a section on their main page devoted to “Legal Matters” (read: copyright).

Via Marketing Vox