I really like the idea of bringing the community into the newsroom -- you get to retain a modicum of professionalism in the way news is presented, but you also don't miss out on good stories and perspectives that a top-down, mass media approach would take.

Seems like the whole professional-versus-amateur journalism debate is a hot topic right now; everywhere I turn, I see/hear/read commentary about it!

BTW I think you mean Pacific *NEWS* Service.