The earliest method humans used to exchange important news, such as where to find food, the danger presented by life-threatening animals, or the location of cle
an water, was likely through touch, gestures, and grunts.
Leap forward a few thousand years to the invention of the printing press, and it more likely resembles what you would consider to be ‘journalism’ today: masses of people accessing the same news stories, told in the same manner by the same person.
With access to the internet at the touch of a button, we know these days that the definition of journalism expands well beyond this though. While a bachelor of journalism or an online Master’s in Journalism will grant you the title of ‘journalist,’ ‘citizen journalism’ is the gathering of news by people who are not professional journalists but who instead disseminate information using websites, blogs, and social media.
What is citizen journalism?
Those who practise citizen journalism – also sometimes known as collaborative media, participatory journalism, guerrilla journalism or street journalism – play an active role in collecting or reporting on news, and they function outside of mainstream media outlets. This may be through words, images or video taken directly by the individual and shared with the masses.
With the development of various online internet platforms and technologies like social networks, media-sharing websites and the widespread use of mobiles, citizen journalism is now more accessible to people worldwide than ever before – and it often comes in at a faster pace than traditional media reports.
Citizen journalism is often shared on social media platforms. Photo by
Although it is hard to imagine, there was a time when first-hand footage and real-time written accounts were not the main elements of a breaking news story. Nowadays, a key example of citizen journalism in action is individuals in disaster zones who can provide instant written and visual reporting from an event, uploaded within minutes of it occurring. Those living in countries affected by political upheaval where mainstream media outlets are censored can also use technology to share otherwise ‘unpublishable’ information about the situation.
Some notable examples of citizen journalism across major world events include the September 11 attacks, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and the more recent events in Ukraine – all of which the news broke with first-hand accounts of the events unfolding.
The positives and negatives of citizen journalism
The practice of citizen journalism has both its supporters and critics. With the rise of new journalistic principles such as interactivity and transparency, as opposed to objectivity and distance, it is easy to see why many believe in citizen journalism. At the same time, there are many journalists who question the rapid rise of social media technologies that make citizen journalism possible, often asking the big question – “are we supposed to make news or just cover it?”
Read more : https://theknowledgereview.com/the-impact-of-citizen-journalism-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/