Next generation (C) of user generation... Current.com

Current.com (Current TV to you and me) has hit the turbo button.

I could ramble on about all the cool new features and the wonderful community connections it creates, but you'd be better off (and way more entertained) by watching the video tutorial you'll find here.

I'm indebted to Richard Moynihan for giving me the heads up on this.

Richard said: "Current TV has relaunched its website now, converging its online presence with its TV channel. They've dropped the current.tv url and gone for an all-inclusive current.com."

I did get invited to the beta trial earlier this month (was there any current.tv user who wasn't?!?) - but I've been on hols so missed all the fun!

Here's what Current.com had to say about the new stuff:

"Current's new website is a place for you to connect to people and topics that are important and interesting to you - and when you do, you'll influence a global TV network.

• Explore cool stuff from the Web submitted by people like you
• Add things of your own and share them with your friends
• Watch and influence the full line-up of programming from Current TV
• Join the conversation ... with your keyboard or your webcam!"

It really is an exceptionally fully-featured user-centric, community-driven news (information) service.

What it does is connect two human needs - validation (through the repuations, ratings and some good old-fashion broadcast fame via the 'global TV network) and community.

I have a view about news I often quote (see below). Take a look at Current.com and see how close you think they've got...

"News is:

1. Personalised, real time, community-created, shared information.
2. Best gathered at the point of inspiration (on that handy converged device - the mobile)
3. Best distributed to the point of need (and, taking advantage of the always on, always with you nature of that same converged device, that's best served by mobile, too).

This draws from the understanding that it is the community that best serves its own needs. An individual cannot get this from a disaggregated collection of digitised information. They can from a... community of shared interest. The community emerges as the dominant force.

From: The Power of the Network = The Power of We: Why Media is the New Business Ecology.