Like it or loathe it, social media has completely changed the way we communicate. Now, our willingness to share the funny and bizarre could provide journalists instant photographic access to newsworthy events as they happen; and, from a central resource that pays its contributors while eliminating the need to scour social media.
Two years ago, while having coffee and a chat with a friend, Mark Orval was startled by the crunching sound of a nearby car accident. From his front-row seat at the traffic chaos that ensued, Orval mused that there had been nobody around to film the aftermath.
Orval realised that most people probably had smartphones but were not motivated to take footage, which seemed like a wasted resource.
Increasingly, Orval felt that he'd uncovered a problem he could solve. What if people had an easy way to upload footage to a media marketplace that paid them for their efforts and provided reporters quick and easy access? The idea kept niggling at Orval, so he took the plunge and started a business.
In 2014, Orval launched his company, Newzbid. Using a smartphone application, users submit their photos and videos to the Newzbid system. If it's newsworthy and the quality is decent, it will be valued and entered into the Newzbid market where media companies can bid for the rights.
Submitters get paid when their footage is bought. If you capture cyclone destruction, an accident, or a dog rescuing a child, chances are there is a reporter who wants it and is willing to pay. "Why just have your photo or video in a virtual album when you could make a little cash and have it seen by so many more?" reasons Orval.
Orval's talents did not always lie in spotting commercial opportunity. As a promising young footy player for Collingwood, his dream had been sporting superstardom. It wasn't to last; a fractured foot forced him to change direction completely. Orval retooled with studies in marketing and business. "It gave me a good baseline understanding of how the commercial world really worked," he says.
It did not take long for his talents in commerce to be recognised and he received his first big opportunity at 26 years of age in the role of general manager of commercial services for City West Water. He is now the managing director of the automotive data company, Digital Motorworks. "I owe a lot to Mick Bourke, who was managing director for City West Water at the time. He was a real mentor to me and a true business leader. I learnt so much about the business world from him," says Orval.
Starting Newzbid alongside full-time work has meant many late nights for Orval but he relishes the challenge of using his commercial savvy in a new way. "If you have an idea that won't go away, chances are you should do something about it. It's exciting watching your own concept come to life. It's early days, but Newzbid has received submissions from all over the world. We even got a picture of Prince Harry covertly taken in a Dubai cafe," says Orval.
