What´s Citizen Journalism or Public Journalism?

676 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Roles of citizen journalism

The term citizen journalism or public journalism has spread widely around world as it has been connected to publishing the news and information. It can be defined simply as an alternative source of news which is produced and published by the general public. The concept of citizen journalism is not a new phenomenon and it has started long time ago. What has changed is the importance and the prevalence of the citizen journalists as an alternative source of information and news worldwide. There is an argument whether citizen journalism has transferred the news positively or negatively. Some experts argue that citizen journalism has many disadvantages such as lack of credibility and low objectivity which make it unreliable source of news comparing to traditional media. However, others support the citizen journalism because it has important advantages like promoting democratization of society and increase the speed of news. Therefore, this essay will argue that citizen journalism has apparently positive aspects in promoting democratization by removing corrupted regimes and being the first in providing media coverage.

To some degree, citizen journalism has several disadvantages which may have negative impacts on the quality news provided. One of these disadvantages is the low level of credibility. Therefore, citizen journalists are usually not invited to attend any media conference or meeting because they do not have formal training and qualifications in the media field (Bruns 2010 p.3). In addition, a study conducted in Singapore by Polytechnic University on 801 people shows that 80% of people who participated in the study think that traditional media is better than citizen journalism because of its issues with the credibility (Elsem...

... middle of paper ...

...ccording to Sambrook (2005), participatory journalism which covers the news might be used sometimes by traditional media for instance, networked journalism took part in the coverage of the terrorism attack that occurred in London with BBC channel by sharing 1000 photos, 20 videos, 20,000 email and 4,000 text messages within the first 6 hours and their media were used to make the headlines news in the major news channel. Moreover, another example is the earth quick in Haiti which was covered by citizen journalists who used the internet to show the world the horrible situation by publishing a lot of pictures (Barnes 2012). These evidence show that the rapid spreading of the news by citizen journalism can provide instant news coverage. Improving democratization of society and increase the speed of news are great deal of advantages to public journalism.

Show More
Related

  • A Brief Narrative of the Case and Trial of John Peter Zenger by Hamilton

    858 Words  | 2 Pages

    When discussing the media, we must search back to its primal state the News Paper. For it was the News paper and its writers that forged ahead and allowed freedoms for today’s journalism on all fronts, from the Twitter accounts to the daily gazettes all must mark a single event in the evolution of media in respects to politics and all things shaping. Moving on in media history, we began to see a rapid expansion around 1990. With more than 50% of all American homes having cable TV access, newspapers in every city and town with major newspaper centers reaching far more than ever before. Then the introduction of the Internet; nothing would ever be the same.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Media Has Gone Downhill

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is not uncommon to hear people complaining about what they hear on the news. Everyone knows it and the media themselves knows it as well. Some of the most renowned journalists have even covered the the media’s issues in detail. Biased news outlets have flooded everyday news. We find that journalism’s greatest problems lie in the media’s inability for unbiased reporting, the tendency to use the ignorance of their audience to create a story, and their struggles to maintain relevance.

    Read More

  • James Bulger's Murder

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    New technology has fuelled the expansion with the growth of phone apps, social media formats, smartphones able to capture video and upload instantly onto the web. The public is now recording, documenting, sharing and viewing events as they happen, often before professional journalist or reporters. Technology allows people to view major events in real time anywhere in the world, creating a ‘global village’ in which everyone is connected (McLuhan 1964; cited in Giddens 2013). However, the mass medias of television, radio and newspapers both in print and online, continue to be the mediums the public accesses the news and events on a local, national and international

    Read More

  • Dystopian America

    586 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people have no interest in current events in the world or even their own country, and are more concerned about matters that are more trivial, and even if they were to pay a deal of attention, common news sources are often biased and don’t release information that would hurt a certain cause. It is in this way that the citizens are kept igno...

    Read More

  • Criminal Justice: A Social Media Analysis

    1273 Words  | 3 Pages

    Consequently, according to the critics, citizen journalism does not appear to be a straightforward answer to the contemporary 'crises of information', demonstrating complexities that invariably endanger the foundations and legitimacy of the state. Therefore, the contemporary media counter-culture and its take on justice fundamentally violate hegemonic assumptions about crime and its suppression through institutionalised

    Read More

  • Disadvantages Of Alternative Journalism

    1862 Words  | 4 Pages

    It aims to represent the voices of ordinary people or people that may seem undervalued in the light of the mainstream media. These people are the citizens in whom the news is directed at but the stories that are made and shown may sometimes not resonate with them, instead it is just information that may have no direct effect on them. However, alternative journalism allows the citizen to take journalist practices into their own hands and have a voice and opinion. The access to social media and the internet has brought about a new wave of alternative journalists that have no professional qualifications but look at the world from a view that a majority of the world can understand. Atton mentions that citizens have a loyalty to other citizens (Atton, 2008) which is important to note because it is the biggest motivation for alternative journalism is not profit, but the drive to inform fellow man. People are going to trust news sources that are written by people who are like them or because they are eyewitness accounts or people that have placed themselves in situations that are dangerous, these types of news stories have a more humane

    Read More

  • Traditional Journalism Essay

    1191 Words  | 3 Pages

    This article focuses on research that reveals the de-professionalization and democratization of traditional journalism. The article explores the consequences of both the relation between traditional journalism and citizen journalism. The author argues that the emergence of citizen journalism is a consequence of the current factors effecting the changes in traditional journalism. The lines between professional journalism content and amateur journalism content have become blurred. The author explains how these factors have shown to affect the field of journalism in areas of employment, media technologies, shifting patterns of media use, and media consumption.

    Read More

  • Benefits Of Alternative Media

    1555 Words  | 4 Pages

    Another example of outstanding alternative media is the Hong Kong Citizen News. It was founded by the experienced media workers and scholars, examples included the Mingpao Former Chief Editor, Mr Kevin Lau and the Hong Kong Journalists Association Former Chairperson, Ms Mak Yin Ting. Their passion, ability and quality are ensured. The introduction of alternative media can increase the news diversity and it

    Read More

  • Informative Essay On The Influence Of Social Media

    2179 Words  | 5 Pages

    Lets take a look at natural disasters, social media helps spread knowledge about events. Not everyone watches the news, and I am sure that those people who don’t watch news have some type of social media. Natural disasters are important and social media helps us be aware of our surrounds where ever we may be. Newspapers can only do so much and they take time to print and reach everyone. In critical circumstances newspapers needs to spread fast even cross borders, however social media ends up doing exactly

    Read More

  • The Importance of Accuracy in Journalism

    1913 Words  | 4 Pages

    Johnson, Kirsten A., and Susan Wiedenbeck. "Enhancing Perceived Credibility Of Citizen Journalism Web Sites." Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 86.2 (2009): 332-348.

    Read More

  • The Future of Journalism

    1581 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thirty years ago, if I told you that the primary means of communicating and disseminating information would be a series of interconnected computer networks you would of thought I was watching Star Trek or reading a science fiction novel. In 2010, the future of mass media is upon us today; the Internet. The Internet is and will only grow in the future as the primary means of delivering news, information and entertainment to the vast majority of Americans. Mass media as we know it today will take new shape and form in the next few years with the convergence and migration of three legacy mediums (Television, Radio, Newspaper) into one that is based on the Internet and will replace these mediums forever changing the face of journalism, media and politics. In this paper I will attempt to explain the transition of print media to one of the internet, how the shift to an internet based media environment will impact journalism and mass media, and how this migration will benefit society and forever change the dynamic of news and politics.

    Read More

  • The Future of Responsible Journalism

    1146 Words  | 3 Pages

    In trying to attract new audiences, news media have begun to transition from reporting to becoming a form of entertainment. With the meteoric rise of social media’s role as a news source, the fight for an increase of diversity in the media, and the ever-growing desire of immediate content, the future of responsible journalism is more important than ever. Ask yourself, why do I think the way I do? Where do my political views originate? How do I prove them? Most likely, it is due to the biased portrayal of issues in the media and the politicization that accompanies what we consume. Now, compare your views to your preferred news reporting entity. More than likely, they are the same.

    Read More

  • Citizen Journalism

    1598 Words  | 4 Pages

    These sources however do not provide them with information on ‘’real people’’. Professional journalists have difficulty finding and involving regular citizens as sources to recruit information. The positive effect of citizen journalism on professional journalism in this case is that the citizen journalists can function as deliverers of ‘’real people’’ namely the people the citizen journalists use as sources themselves. These people would be trusted local

    Read More

  • Is Journalism a Profession?

    2831 Words  | 6 Pages

    McLoed and Hawley (as cited in Wilson, 1995) elucidated appropriately, "a recurrent journalistic controversy has involved the question whether journalism is a true profession or merely a craft." Sparked primarily by Lippmann and Dewey, extending into the age of the penny press (mid 1980s) and later, the attempt to commercialise the news (late 1980s) to our present era, there has existed a contentious debate on journalism being distinguished as a profession (Wilson, 1995). Encapsulated in a democratic homeland since the advent of time, media systems are habitually acclaimed as the “fourth power,” with its journalists often hailed as the “watch-dogs” of such a society. Lending itself to act as ‘gatekeeper’ for the wider society and performing the traditional role of journalism, the media (overall) exist as powerful “instruments of knowledge” that perform the function of providing information to the masses in a public sphere, where issues may be discussed, justified and contested (Scannell, 1995, p. 17). Evidently, media workers play a pivotal role in our society; however, their status in the realm of professions is not definite.

    Read More

  • Role Of Media And Democracy Essay

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are numbered of news channels that have maximum coverage throughout the country. Media contribute a lot to develop public knowledge but even after years of success, media could not alter public’s attitude towards issues. Media should discourage smoothly such attitude of public. Demonstrations and protests are good to increase pressure towards the solution of any problem, but there should be a proper way to express which should result oriented.

    Read More

More about What´s Citizen Journalism or Public Journalism?

Open Document