MaYoMo has announced its full public launch, describing itself as a powerful new video-centric social network for mobile citizen journalists and “the most inspired alternative source for global, multimedia news content”.

The site is particularly interested in attracting student journalists as users and creators.

“Unlike other sources of world news,” says MaYoMo, which stands for ‘Map Your Moments’, the site “delivers independent, global news content with Web 2.0 convenience and flexibility. It is designed for both journalists and independently minded, socially and globally aware readers around the world who need a new, socially-connected, real-time platform for global news reporting – and conversation about that news.”

Hristo Alexiev, CEO and co-founder of MaYoMo, says: “MaYoMo allows users to ask and answer the question, ‘What’s happening, where and when?’. We’re a ‘social news network’ for journalists and their readers, empowering a new era of Internet news creation and distribution. A key difference with our model is that we attract content from both young, aspiring journalists, as well as experienced independent journalists and bloggers.”

MaYoMo takes interaction between audience and media to a new level, allowing users to request news from specific places and on specific topics, providing direct feedback about users’ interests. The MaYoMo platform allows users to place their news reports not only in the real world, but in “Virtu” as well ─ a continent with virtual countries, such as Second Life, World of Warcraft, and dozens more.

A “Timeline” feature lets site visitors see a retrospective of news from the past, as well as a prognosis for future news.

Access to all content on the MaYoMo website is free. Anyone can quickly create an account and start contributing content and uploading photos, video, and other media assets – from a variety of devices, including video-enabled phones. Contributors who have met certain criteria can create their own “channels” and generate income from them. To show its commitment to becoming a credible source in “the new era of Internet journalism”, MaYoMo has also launched a program with journalism schools in the US and other countries.  It aims to promote itself as an ideal forum for students to apply their skills and become published writers on the global stage. For more, visit www.mayomo.com.