A promotional video clip featuring Jeremy Paxman is being virally distributed to attract user-generated content to Newsnight.

On the clip, posted on YouTube and other video sharing websites, Paxman attempts to use a 3G mobile phone to record a trail for Newsnight's forthcoming user-generated content viewer competition.

"As part of the BBC's commitment to saving money, not only are you, the licence-fee payer, required to watch Newsnight but you're also required to make it too," he says.

Viewers are invited to submit two-minute films and the best five will be broadcast on Newsnight in January during the show's Geek Week 2.0.

After introducing the competition he drops the phone saying: "Whose stupid idea was this?" while the camera drifts off to record the ceiling.

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