Germany's largest newspaper is aiming to expand through the power of citizen journalism, The Associated Press reported Tuesday.

In a partnership with Bild newspaper, German grocery chain Lidl, will sell a basic digital camera in hopes citizen journalists will contribute images.

"We can't cover everything," Michael Paustian, a managing editor for the 3.3 million daily newspaper told the AP. "We think it is an advance for journalism."

The camera is about pocket-sized, and priced at €69.99 (US$88.47). With 2 gigabytes of memory, software and a USB port, it allows contributors to upload photos or videos directly to Bild. Users can also upload the files directly to video site YouTube, the AP reported in the article posted by the International Herald Tribune.

The goal is not to get exclusive content, but to encourage camera owners to seek the widest exposure for their work, said Bild Spokeman Tobias Fröhlich.

Bild already has an existing "citizen journalism" programme, and the new camera launch is hoped to help streamline it. The programme brings in thousands of photos by e-mail and text message every day, and 9,000 images have been published since 2006, Fröhlich told the AP.

The paper might pay for top-quality images it publishes, or hold a weekly contest for the best content submitted, said Fröhlich. Details will be worked out after evaluating demand for the cameras, which hit the hit Thursday.