The worlds largest international multimedia news agency, Reuters, equipped its journalists with a small mobile journalism toolkit. This could be the beginning of the future journalism according to Ilicco Elia, Product Manager of mobile and emerging media at Reuters. He told the audience at the third session of the 15th World Editors Forum about a new way to tell stories through mobiles.
 
Mobile phones allow journalists to change their old, heavy camera equipment to a smaller device. The tool Reuters uses is the Nokia N95/N82 which includes a bluetooth keyboard, a digital microphone and a phone adapted tripod. Over the next few years, Nokia will come out with mobile phones boasting the same quality as the cameras photographers use today, said Elia. This will open huge possibilities for journalists.

The primary aim of Reuters' experiments with mobile was to get their stories out faster. They have run into problems such as teaching journalists the proper techniques in using the phones; it's harder than it looks to capture quality journalism on small devices. Still, Reuters' journalists are excited about the the new technology which has already been tested at the New York Fashion week and on the US preseidential campaign trail.

Reuters also plans to expand this opportunity to experts, peers and citizens by handing out the mobile devices to "citizen journalists". With mobile devices being so ubiquitous, Reuters will be able to capture news anywhere, anytime.