Still images from the CCTV footage appeared on the first and second pages of the print edition, and the video was shown in full on the ET’s website, attracting over 5,000 viewers.  Many visitors used the site’s comment system to name people allegedly involved in the attack.  Other viewers telephoned the paper to provide information on the attack.

Preceding the video was a warning that it contained disturbing material, and for legal reasons, the footage was removed as soon as police made an arrest.

“Not online was it a first for the Cambridgeshire Police, releasing the CCTV video footage, but it was a first for us too in carrying it,” said assistant editor Brad Barnes, who heads digital operations for the ET.  “It is clearly the way forward, and hopefully, we can do something similar with the police again,” he added.

The next day, the paper covered the arrest and thanked its readers for their assistance in the case, which had been yielding few results prior to the video release. In the growing trend of newspapers reaching out to the community, the ET exemplifies the phenomenon of local residents who are eager to respond and interact with the news when given the proper tools and outlets.


Source: Hold the Front Page