Week Eleven: Citizen Journalism | Internet and Journalism
The concept of Citizen journalism (also known as "public," "participatory", "democratic", "guerrilla" or "street" journalism) is based upon public citizens "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing, and disseminating news and information."
Citizen journalism is the new know-how. Personal accounts of those who are there right on the scene of the event - documented, uploaded and usually viral within minutes. In this growing world of “who’s the fastest”, mainstream media has taken upon themselves to utilize the vast amount of information there is on the net of a particular incident. However, this also means breaking news is no longer - breaking. Indeed, mainstream media’s role in covering notable events has changed. It is not as though a reporter could anticipate every significant event that’s about to occur. But those found in these circumstances (sometimes, not the best place to be) are the new sources of immediate coverage. Mainstream media news articles are now made up of contributions by citizen journalists (with attribution - hopefully). That is how journalism is evolving.
Mainstream media is moving towards being a consolidator, weaving in context through the personal accounts of the people on the street, checking, double checking, triple checking if the information holds true. This is how 21st-century journalism works. Some might disagree that this is a bad shift for the mainstream media - where the society should take on a more passive role and receive news from “credible” news outlets. I’d like to challenge that notion.
Journalism is about stating facts - no opinions, no bias (unless an opinion piece). Of course, that is highly unattainable because perfection isn’t anyone’s thing. The role of journalists, be it mainstream or netizen contributed should be just a presentation of facts. It can be coupled with contexts, additional information to create a truthful story behind it. But ultimately, judgement lies on the reader - the journalist does not make the decision for the people.
But with citizen journalism, there is the notion of reality and the fake. Mainstream media outlets have more to lose when they produce an unchecked news article - its years of reputation, dampen. However, netizens can just upload a photo/video under a pseudo name, keep his or her identity hidden. It is then, as readers to make judgement and fact-check on your account - to ensure what is said is true. This is when mainstream media is used to cross-reference for consistency. This is how 21st-century journalism works.
In the video below, Erin Finicane - a citizen student journalist, gives tips on how you too, can be a citizen journalist. To uncover social problems that the mainstream media has failed to addressed, to shine light on a problem that needs to be eradicated.
What do you think of this new age journalism? Is it fair to mainstream news outlet who have worked centuries to produce news for its people? Or is citizen journalism - a complementary outlet to the mainstream outlets? Or does mainstream news outlet even hold a place as our source of information anymore?
“With technology and social media and citizen journalism, every rock that used to go unturned is now being flipped, lit and put on TV.” - LZ Granderson, American journalist and commentator for CNN and ESPN
