News Taps "Hyper-Local Sources"

The San Jose Mercury News had a story over the weekend on local news promoting interactivity with their viewers. The story talks about KNTV San Jose streaming video from the newsroom and soliciting user feedback through a chat room centered on the newscasts. Exec producer Kirsten Chiala says interactivity "has given us hyper-local sources, so it’s not just what the reporters are bringing back to the newsrooms, but viewers giving us stories and sources."

Writer Susan Young also mentions Brittney Gilbert, who starts this week as a full-time blogger at KPIX. Among other things, Gilbert is tasked with mining any and all Bay Area blogs for interesting tidbits and even story leads. "Most blogs are crap, but you can find real gems in the pile," she tells the paper.