The story behind CNN.com’s I-Report video

Cory Bergman April 17th, 2007

Arguably the most compelling clip of video so far in the Virginia Tech shootings was captured by Jamal Albarghouti, a student who held up his Nokia cell phone while he was crouched on the ground to capture the sounds of 27 gunshots. He sent the clip to CNN.com’s I-Report, and within minutes CNN contacted him to lock in an exclusive contract. By evening, the video has been viewed 1.8 million times on CNN.com and countless times on the air. All in all, I-Report received submissions — nearly all of them photos — from 100 people, many of them students. So how did Albarghouti know to send it to CNN.com? He frequently visits CNN.com and knew about its I-Report feature.