Is It Time For “Networks Of Webcams?”

Jeff Jarvis tells a story: “About a year ago, I had lunch with a former colleague at TV Guide who’s still at News Corp. and I told her that cable news should use networks of webcams in the homes and offices of experts, analysts, bloggers, pundits, and panels of citizens to get immediate input and reaction to news…My friend introduced me to an exec at Fox News who pretty much pooh-poohed it because ‘the backhaul won’t be broadcast quality.’ But it would be better than Oliver North’s satphone, I protested, and it’s going to be ubiquitous and cheap and fast. I was dismissed.

A year later, I was broadcasting on competitor MSNBC with just such a webcam and Ed Cone and others are doing it now, too. It’s all in the timing.”

> Also: Jarvis says “I know of the heads of at least three national TV news operations who are eager to incorporate citizens’ media.” Kaplan definitely, and I assume Klein too…Who’s the third?