Spy Media: monetizing citizen shutterbugs

A new citizen journalism site launches Oct. 3 called Spy Media. From the site:

Whether you witness a tornado tearing its way through South Dakota, or a celebrity visiting a refugee camp in Eastern Europe, Spy Media is the place for you starting October 3rd. Spy Media will offer consumers and professional photographers around the world the opportunity to make money by capturing news photos. Spy Media is the first web site to offer an automated photo news commerce marketplace that makes selling and buying news photos simple for everyone.

When you see a major or local news event occur:
1. Capture a photo
2. Express what you saw
3. Upload it here

The San Jose outfit will announce more details later this month. It was bound to happen (a UK equivalent launched earlier this summer). Nothing wrong with having an intermediary to negotiate with big media companies on a citizen's behalf. Just as long as they realize that payouts will be a rare thing.

Meantime, my plans for the Grassroots Talent Agency have been put on hold while I focus on fund-raising for Ourmedia.org. Want to support citizens media? Let me know.