Goldman&Associates frequently blogs about new media trends and how they can help (or hinder) PR campaigns. An article in today’s New York Times touches on an effort that is underway to further legitimize user-generated content by connecting users with each other and finally with professional journalists and publications.

“Crowd-sourcing” is a term coined by Wired Magazine editor Jeff Howe, and refers to the practice of outsourcing a specific job or task to a large group of amateurs, usually over the web. This type of open-source reporting is being introduced on NewAssignment.net, a website created by NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen. Although not officially launching until later this spring, the site is promoting itself as “pro-am journalism” and as a way to exploit the wisdom of the masses in order to cover more aspects of a story.

What this means for PR is that citizen journalists might be getting their credentials. Unlike wikipedia, where sources are often questionable or non-existent, and corporate blog posts that can easily be edited, open-source journalism will now carry the weight of whatever publication chooses to utilize it.