From Media Guardian: (reg. req'd)

The (British) National Union of Journalists has launched a code of practice for so-called "citizen journalists" amid concern about standards.

The union said the witness contributors' code of practice was aimed at maintaining "the highest professional and ethical standards in the new media environment" and would cover concerns about accuracy and checking sources.

Improvements in technology have enabled media organisations to rely increasingly on members of the public to provide images and first-hand accounts of major news events.

But at a MediaGuardian/NUJ debate on the issue yesterday, concerns were raised about the implications for journalism.

The new code will also address issues such as payments for contributors, copyright and moral and legal rights.

To read the code of practice: Code of practice.doc

The Beastie Boys tried some citizen camerawork for a new concert film. They bought 50 cameras, handed them out to people at their Oct. 9, 2004 Madison Square Gardens show in their native New York.

A professional crew did the rest. The result is Awesome: I fuckin' shot that!