YouTube has been making waves in the news again now that they have launched YouTube Direct.

hyper_youtube_direct_avi_download_tool_11646Aspiring journalists would love this addition since YouTube Direct is a tool to make the process of submitting video clips easier for YouTube users and these clips can be highlighted by news media companies. Among the media companies that have participated in YouTube Direct are the San Francisco Chronicle, the Huffington Post and the Politico.

YouTube’s growth has been astonishing. Every 60 seconds, there is 20 hours worth of videos being uploaded. And a significant number of these uploads are about news and politics – both professional and amateur.

youtube-logoOlivia Ma, news manager of YouTube’s News and Politics team is proud of the birth of the YouTube Reporters Center. This is a resource to help people learn the right ways on how to report news and showcases instructional videos that also give tips and advice on how to report efficiently from well known journalists.

She also shared that YouTube is now becoming a video platform for US congressmen and senators as well. In fact 98 senators and almost 400 congressmen now have their own YouTube pages so that they can easily communicate with their constituents.

At this era of high technology, people are carrying video enabled cell phones and cameras so there are no longer a need for fancy video equipments in order to capture news worthy moments. All you have to do is to shoot, upload the video and you can watch yourself giving the latest news in the Internet at no time at all.

Last year, Twitter launched their TweetsGiving program and almost raised $11,000 which enabled them to build a classroom in Tanzania. This year, the Thanksgiving Twitter program is back and they are aiming to raise $100,000 in 48 hours for charity scheduled for November 24 to 26 2009.

tweetsgivingAs a background check, TweetsGiving is a global volunteer and non profit organization that uses social media for its charity drive every Thanksgiving. The program was made to support Epic Change and to help build additional classrooms, a library, a cafeteria and a dormitory for a school in Arusha, Tanzania. It is recognized as a global celebration done online that aims to change the world through gratitude. The 48 hour event also has live events all over the globe where guests are invited in order to encourage people to give to a common cause.

tweetsgiving2The school that you will be helping is a school founded by a Tanzanuan Epic Change fellow known as “Mama Lucy” Kamptoni who used to sell chickens and used her earnings to build a school that now has 300 children and facilities are much needed.It is easy to participate in this fundraiser and give your own donations for this cause. First you can simply share whatever you are thankful for on Twitter, Flickr, your blog,  YoutTube, Facebook or blip.fm  then add the link to www.TweetsGiving.org and the #tweetsgiving tag. Another way to contribute to the success of this program is to contribute in cash. Each $10 donation equates to 1 brick for the development of the school in Tanzania. Next year, Epic Change and Twitter aims to widen their campaign by reaching out to other parts of the world beginning next year. This Thanksgiving, why not show your gratitude by giving back?