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Saturday, September 15, 2007

NY Times Video Letter to the Editor



NYTimes.com publishes video ‘Letter to the Editor’:
For the first time, NYTimes.com has published a video “letter to the editor.” Filmmaker Charles Ferguson sent the Times a video rebuttal to an Op-Ed piece that L. Paul Bremer III wrote about disbanding the Iraqi army. Ferguson’s a professional, and the video is certainly pro-quality. But this is a fantastic idea for amateurs as well, and local sites should embrace this. Invite video opinion pieces and encourage dialogue.
VIDEO: NY Times Letter to the Editor:
Charles Ferguson, a filmmaker, presents a rebuttal to claims made by L. Paul Bremer III that top American officials approved the decision to disband the Iraqi army.
via [ Lost Remote ]

What's good about this?

The NY Times is posting reader generated content to their website.
The old style letter to the editor gets a refreshing new look.
People get a voice.

What's bad about this?

There is no embed code for the video, only a permalink.
There is no place for comments.
The submitter, Charles Ferguson, gets NO LINK BACK to his movie site, No End In Site.
Having excerpts from a feature film as the first user generated video letter to the editor sets the bar high for subsequent submissions.