Reporter's diary: What verification? Viral news crucial!

CHENNAI: While news content on YouTube channels is common and popular, not all produce authentic content. And undisputably, most of the time, their sources remain unknown.

Perhaps one of the reasons is that YouTubers don’t understand how a news organisation functions. Recently, a YouTuber who produces news content based on current affairs asked this reporter to share all information collected daily so that he can use it as videos on his channel. When this reporter informed him that all published news is accessible online, the YouTuber who has more than 40,000 subscribers, said that he wanted content to be shared with him before publishing.

He claimed that it’d help him present ‘Breaking News’ to a larger audience and gain more subscribers. After telling him a thing or two about media ethics, his response stunned this reporter. H said he just wanted content to be viral-worthy, and also admitted that news content on YouTube channels is usually taken from other news outlets.

Calling on every divine being she knew of, the reporter patiently explained to him the importance of verification and authentication of all information before it’s published, and why credit was given to those providing the information. When the YouTuber took offence, the reporter gave herself a ‘job well done’ pat on the back.

— Shweta Tripathi, Chennai

Are you in Chennai? Then click here to get our newspaper at your doorstep!