It’s easy enough to keep abreast of what’s happening with the BP oil spill. One can’t help but bump into news about it. If you care to dig a little deeper, though, individuals and organizations are doing quite a job of supplementing what most of us would consider to be mainstream news.

Consider this video on YouTube:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV0Bmvuc_5U]

You certainly wouldn’t have had that and dozens more at your fingertips a decade ago. (By the way, YouTube just had its fifth birthday.)

Over the weekend, Mashable published a few ways you can use social media to keep up with what’s going on in the Gulf of Mexico. Of course, a viewer or reader is always wise to consider the source. (Is that really so different with established media channels?)

Admittedly, there is a lot of irresponsible and inaccurate reporting out there by wayward individuals and organizations with hidden and not-so-hidden agendas. Our reputation management clients have to deal with enough of it on occasion. Regardless, putting reporting tools into everyone’s hands has enriched our lives.

I have to believe that BP hates the fact that unfettered content is being pumped out at a massive rate. For the rest of us, provided we are willing to sort through the good and the bad, content is richer than it’s ever been. For that, we are fortunate.