IReport.com - Citizen Journalism CNN Style

CNN’s attempt to go Web 2.0 has borne iReport, a site completely dedicated to citizen journalism. Following in the footsteps of giants like YouTube and NewsVine, iReport aims to provide raw news straight out of the horse’s mouth. iReport has actually been around since 2006, but the beta version has just been launched. This version will feature everything submitted by users. Editors will comb through the stuff and post what they deem newsworthy on CNN.com and the network itself. The site functions like YouTube with viewers able to filter videos by ratings, content, most recent, tags, etc. Top journalists get to join the ranks of the Superstars area. There’s no registration required; simply watch videos, contribute, and enjoy. It’ll certainly have news that you’ll find no where else.

“Welcome to a brand new beta site for unfiltered, uncensored user-powered news. CNN is providing the tools. You take it from there! Report, upload and comment on the stories you find most interesting and important. The views, coverage and content on the site are all yours - not CNN's! So, go ahead, have at it!”

iReport provides an outlet for aspiring journalists everywhere. It’s also a great resource for newsies who want real, unedited news. Those who like and are familiar with the most popular user-generated content sites will find iReport has a similar look and feel and is easy to use.

Will iReport be as successful as CNN? Will users be compelled to contribute? Watch? Will it be engaging, interesting news? Or a bunch of nonsense?