we are the journalists

We are evolving: we no longer just accept what we are told, we are exploring, discussing and writing it all down as we go along.  The process is new and exciting. The process is loosely termed, citizen journalism.

I am no golfing fan, truth be told it bores me to tears. But I am into media and blogging somewhat. So when Tiger Woods made a shot, with his new ‘platinum’ gold ball, I heard about it first. I heard about it before Nike could tell me, I heard it from a blogger. They got there first. This is the future of journalism.

CItizen Journalism, as defined by boitano.net (2007) is the work of a citizen which plays an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information with the intent to provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires. Citizen journalism is a grassroots structure, where there is no governing body, people can, and do, write about anything and everything. And what they are writing, people are reading.

Terry Flew gives an example of the impact citizen journalism can have. He gives the point that citizen journalism ‘allows for new ideas and opinions to be expressed within state-controlled media countries’ (2007). This example is broadened by Flew through the mention of Indonesia. Flew (2007) suggests that the internet and in particular citizen journalism, is a forum that has been used by political activists and reformers which has consequently become a vital factor of commentary on elections and political affairs within Indonesia. This has ultimately, allowed for the development of a democratic Indonesia.

Another, less controversial form of citizen journalism is that of mobile phone video recordings. How often are we faced with slightly blurry, slightly inaudible footage that has been filmed on a phone splashed across our television screens? These are the journalists who are there, who are witnessing the events and recording them. These are the journalists.

It seems we are faced with a change. Gone are the days of the gatekeepers, now are the days of the gatewatchers. The citizen journalists.

Advertisement