The concept of citizen journalism
Discuss About The Participatory Journalism In Mediterranean.
The concept of citizen journalism refers to the kind of journalism wherein the common people or the citizens of a particular nation plays an active role in the gathering of news as well as reporting of news which was in the earlier times considered only to be the domain of professional news reporters (Lewis, Holton and Coddington 2014). The concept of citizen journalism is also called by the name of public journalism, participatory journalism, street journalism, democratic journalism or guerilla journalism (Lewis, Holton and Coddington 2014). The journalist Courtney C. Radsch is of the opinion that citizen journalism can be viewed as an alternative form of journalism wherein the common citizens take the help of the recent technologies for the collection as well as the reporting of the news (Suau and Masip 2014). Jay Rosen, on the other hand, is of the opinion that these news pieces reported by the citizens are inauthentic or inaccurate most of the times and therefore a cross reference or cross examination with the other sources is imperative to authenticate the news (Hille and Bakker 2014). management, in the present times it is seen that the process of citizen journalism has emerged as an important form of journalism and even the professional journalists are taking the help of the news items reported by the common citizens for the purpose of reporting in an effective manner (Lewis 2012). Therefore, it would be apt to say that the process of citizen reporting entails with itself both positive as well as the negative aspects however the positive sides of the process far outweigh the negative ones.
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The democratization of the world of journalism is considered to be the major positive aspect of the process of citizen journalism. J. D. Lasica in the book “What is Participatory Journalism?” states that the major benefit which the process of citizen journalism provides to the world of journalism is the fact that it has democratized the field of journalism (Marchionni 2013). The business of collecting as well as reporting the news and the other pieces of information in the earlier times was the sole domain of the various professional journalists (Marchionni 2013). However, with the advent of this particular concept as well as with the rise of new innovations the field currently includes the news gathered by the private individuals who had no professional training. The use of this particular type of journalism can be traced back to Thomas Paine who with his pamphlets furthered the cause of the “American War of Independence” in the 1770s (Fröhlich, Quiring and Engesser 2012). In the field of journalism it is generally seen that only the kind of news are being reported which are likely to enhance the prospects of the particular individual reporting the news and also the news agency to which he or she is related (Fröhlich, Quiring and Engesser 2012). Thus, it was seen that many important pieces of news which might have not only attracted the attention of the people but have impacted them in a significant manner used to go unreported (Peters and Broersma 2013). However, with the rise of this particular kind of journalism it is generally seen that the majority of the news pieces whether significant or not are being reported and get equal representation. The emergence of the various kinds of blogs as well as the internet sites where the common people can easily get their articles or news pieces published has contributed in a significant manner not only towards the rise of this particular concept but at the same time in the process of democratization of the field of journalism (Peters and Broersma 2013).
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Benefits of Citizen Journalism
The broadening of the genre of journalism is the second major positive aspect of the concept of citizen journalism. It is a reflection of this particular fact that the people are getting access to the kind of news which they seldom used to get prior to the advent of the concept of citizen journalism. As a matter of fact, because of the advent of this particular process the people are getting access to the various kinds of breaking way before they are being broadcasted by the leading news channels (Hille and Bakker 2014). A few examples of instances where the news by the people was disseminated faster than the professional news agencies are “2010 Haiti earthquake, the 2013 protests in Turkey, the Occupy Wall Street movement, the Euromaidan events in Ukraine, 2014 Ferguson unrest, Syrian Civil War” and others (Bulkley 2018). The updates posed by these private citizens in the form of videos as well as news articles over the economics media helped in the dissemination of the news over the globe in a much faster manner. Furthermore, earlier it was seen that only the kinds of news which affected the global audience or could significantly enhance the prospects of the concerned reporter or the agency to which he or she was related (Hille and Bakker 2014). However, in the present times it is seen almost all kinds of news are getting prominence starting from the news which are at global or national level to the ones which affect the single entities of the world as well.
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The simplification of the work of the professional journalists is considered to the third positive aspect of the process of citizen journalism. Thus, the various professional journalists often take the help of the videos as well as the articles uploaded by the amateur journalists and the private citizens for the purpose of providing quality of news stories to the people (Suau and Masip 2014). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the famous documentary maker Roger Graef for the creation of his documentary “The Trouble with Pirates” took the help of various kinds of homemade videos prepared by the natives as well as the pirates (Bulkley 2018). In a likewise manner, the pioneer documentary maker Molly Dineen also talks about the importance of these videos as well as articles made by the amateurs as the acts of individual creativity out of which the professional journalists can take a page out for the process of the composition of their own news articles as well as documentaries (Bulkley 2018). Furthermore, the current director of ITN Productions, Chris Shaw, is also of the opinion that these news articles as well as the videos produced by the various amateurs from all over the world have opened up new vistas of possibilities and opportunities for the professional journalists who can take the help of these articles and videos for the creation of their professional news pieces (Bulkley 2018). Therefore, it would be apt to say that the various kinds of articles as well as videos published by the amateur journalists from the different parts of the world have significantly made the work of the professional journalists much easier than the earlier times.
Disadvantages of Citizen Journalism
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The pseudo-authenticity of the news stories released by the amateur journalists is considered to be the major disadvantage of the process of citizen journalism. Many experts, however, are of the viewpoint that the rise of the concept of citizen journalism acts as a disadvantage for the various professional journalists (Borger et al. 2013). Firstly, these experts are of the viewpoint that most of the news items published by these amateur journalists are inauthentic or lack relevant as well as important information (Borger et al. 2013). Thus, it is generally seen that the professional journalists are required to take the help of various kinds of similar news items to find out the authenticity of a particular news item released by an amateur journalist (Suau and Masip 2014). Furthermore, it is generally seen that the inauthentic news items released by these amateur journalists often gives rise panic as well as anxiety among the people and this affects the status quo of the nation in a significant manner. However, many experts on the other hand are of the viewpoint that inspite of these negative aspects the positive aspects or the benefits provided by the amateur journalists cannot be undermined (Karlsson et al. 2015). These experts are of the opinion that the rise of the amateur journalists in the different parts of the world has significantly revolutionized the field of journalism (Karlsson et al. 2015). Furthermore, this particular concept has provided a tool to the citizens by means of which they can check the authenticity as well as the validity of the news items that are being provided to them by the various professional journalists as well as the news channels (Lewis, Holton and Coddington 2014). Therefore, it would be apt to say that the positive aspects of the concept of citizen journalism far outweigh the negative aspects of the same process.
Conclusion
Participatory Journalism In Mediterranean
In conclusion, the concept of citizen journalism has gained a considerable amount of significance in the recent times and it is a reflection of this particular fact that the various individuals from the different parts of the world are increasingly turning towards this particular concept to disseminate the news stories which they think to be important or worth knowing. Furthermore, it is generally seen that this concept in the recent times has not only democratized the field of journalism but at the same time has considerably shaken the authority of the professional journalists as the sole deciders of the kind of news stories which would be disseminated to the people. Moreover, it is generally seen that even the professional journalists are increasingly taking the help of the news stories released by these amateur journalists for the process of the dissemination of the news stories. Thus, it can be said that the advantages of the process of citizen journalism far outweighs the disadvantages of the same process.
References
Borger, M., Van Hoof, A., Costera Meijer, I. and Sanders, J., 2013. Constructing participatory journalism as a scholarly object: A genealogical analysis. Digital journalism, psychology, pp.117-134.
Bulkley, K. 2018. The rise of citizen journalism. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2012/jun/11/rise-of-citizen-journalism [Accessed 5 Jun. 2018].
Erjavec, K. and Poler-Kova?i?, M., 2013. Abuse of online participatory journalism in Slovenia: Offensive comments under news items. Medijska istraživanja: znanstveno-stru?ni ?asopis za novinarstvo i medije, 19(2), pp.55-74.
Fröhlich, R., Quiring, O. and Engesser, S., 2012. Between idiosyncratic self-interests and professional standards: A contribution to the understanding of participatory journalism in Web 2.0. Results from an online survey in Germany. Journalism, 13(8), pp.1041-1063.
Hille, S. and Bakker, P., 2014. Engaging the social news user: Comments on news sites and Facebook. Journalism Practice, 8(5), pp.563-572.
Karlsson, M., Bergström, A., Clerwall, C. and Fast, K., 2015. Participatory journalism–the (r) evolution that wasn’t. Content and user behavior in Sweden 2007–2013. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 20(3), pp.295-311.
Lewis, S.C., 2012. The tension between professional control and open participation: Journalism and its boundaries. Information, Communication & Society, 15(6), pp.836-866.
Lewis, S.C., Holton, A.E. and Coddington, M., 2014. Reciprocal journalism: A concept of mutual exchange between journalists and audiences. Journalism Practice, 8(2), Business.229-241.
Marchionni, D.M., 2013. Journalism?as?a?Conversation: A concept explication. Communication Theory, 23(2), pp.131-147.
Peters, C. and Broersma, M.J. eds., 2013. Rethinking journalism: Trust and participation in a transformed news landscape. Routledge.
Suau, J. and Masip, P., 2014. Exploring participatory journalism in mediterranean countries: Political systems and national differences. Journalism practice, 8(6), pp.670-687.
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