September 19, 2007
TMZ.com lets readers post audio comments to their blog. Video is next
USA Today reports on entertainment blog TMZ.com, launching audio comments, enabling readers to post audio comments for playback by other people at the site.
"... A recent example: Readers were asked about pop singer Britney Spears' much-criticized comeback appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards show. That drew more than 60 audio comments (vs 1311 written comments) from readers who said they live as far away as Brazil.
TMZ first experimented with audio comments in July 2006 with its news reports about actor and director Mel Gibson's arrest for drunken driving "We had a very primitive tool for doing it," says Alan Citron, the site's general manager. "But we got a lot of comments."
The site doesn't make audio comments available with every post. Instead, Citron says, editors look for posts likely to spur lots of reader opinion and emotion.
The New York Times just published its first videotaped letter to the editor. And the San Francisco Chronicle started posting to its website readers' voice-mail messages.
But TMZ means to take their comment section to the next level. Video.
"The No. 1 most-visited entertainment site, which just launched a syndicated TV show, also is planning to let readers post videotaped comments about its snarky celebrity sightings and other news; there is no timetable for that addition yet."
Somewhat related, The New York Times video obit section, The Last Word, The NY Times explains: We’ve asked people how they want to be remembered and recorded their thoughts. We’re giving them, and you, the last world.
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