Drone journalism takes off

A really well balanced, correct and insightful article on ABC News Australia, very much in contrast with what is coming out of the mainstream press in the USA.

Mark Corcoran http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-21/drone-journalism-takes-off/3840616

Drones play an increasing and controversial role in modern warfare. From Afghanistan and Pakistan to Iran and Yemen, they have become a ubiquitous symbol of Washington’s war on terrorism.

Critics point to the mounting drone-induced death toll as evidence that machines, no matter how sophisticated, cannot discriminate between combatants and innocent bystanders.

Now drones are starting to fly into a more peaceful, yet equally controversial role in the media. Rapid technological advances in low-cost aerial platforms herald the age of drone journalism.

But it will not be all smooth flying: this new media tool can expect to be buffeted by the issues of safety, ethics and legality.