YouTube Makes the News. Literally.

It's been a banner year for YouTube, at least so far. While it's not clear if the site will ever turn a profit, there's no denying that it has become more ubiquitous than ever. And the rise of video-enabled smartphones has only exacerbated the situation. According to a recent YouTube blog post, video uploads from mobile phones has risen 1,700 percent since the start of the year. Since the iPhone 3G S was released last week, mobile video uploads has jumped by 400 percent a day.

Clearly, Google (GOOG) officials think we're living in an age of unprecedented citizen journalism, in which the most critical video or audio footage of a major news event could well come from anyone who happened to be on the scene. The world would see nothing of Tehran's massive protests if some of those protesters didn't carry video-enabled cell phones. When police fatally shot Oakland resident Oscar Grant in January, the event would almost surely have been dismissed as an unfortunate event if so many people hadn't posted films of the killing on YouTube. Since so many potential reporters are walking the streets, Google execs have decided to offer a few pointers on the tricks of the trade.

And so behold the YouTube Reporters' Center, a new quick-and-easy guide to professional news gathering, interviewing, and writing. In a series of short clips, some of the best, or at least the flashiest, media professionals will give you the one-two on working in the business.

Hey, who's that? Why, it's Katie Couric, giving you the skinny on how to butter up your subject and go for the kill: