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Add to FavoritesCitizen journalists are more trustworthy than professional journalists, and clever editors should take advantage of their skills whenever they have an opportunity to do so. Authors of frequent "Letters to the Editor" in the local newspaper will provide names and reveal clues as to the literary ability of the writers.
If talented people are invited to submit articles of interest on community affairs, they would probably be thrilled to do so. Some will likely work for the pleasure of knowing their work will be read and appreciated by friends and neighbors. Others may request a small stipend for their efforts, but it will certainly be less costly than paying for the column of a well-known feature writer.
The advantages of utilizing citizen journalists are many. Among them are:
- Citizen journalists will report on people, places or events in which they are personally interested. No one gave them a definite assignment and told them when, where, and how long to write the required article. The spice of their enthusiasm for the topic will seep through into their writing, making it more interesting for readers.
- As a general rule, they will take the time and the trouble to investigate subtle details which professionals may overlook because of looming deadlines or other time constraints. No one is looking over the shoulder of the citizen journalist urging him to finish in time for the morning (or evening) edition.
-They do not have to bow to the usual political stance of a particular newspaper or chain of publications. They are free to report the truth as they see it. They are more likely to produce completely unbiased copy and this could occasionally function as a good balance to the usual editorial stance of the publication.
- Because they are independent agents, citizen journalists will be anxious to merit repeat requests for their efforts. Their articles are likely to be clear, well-organized, with correct spelling, punctuation , and faultless grammar. They realize substandard work will probably end up in the wastepaper basket. They are not used to having imperfections corrected by an editor.
-Citizen journalists come from all walks of society. Since they do not usually hang around with professional journalists, they will bring fresh topics and different perspectives from those readers have come to expect. Some additions will be welcomed, others may not. In any case, it will provide valuable feedback to the staff as to which of their features are most appreciated and why.
- Citizen journalists encompass people from all age brackets. The high school senior writing about teenage interests and events will attract one segment of readers. A retired grandparent writing a column about upcoming seniors' events in the community will be avidly scanned by another. Citizen journalists' efforts can be rotated to appeal to different age groups either randomly or on a predetermined schedule.
Utilizing the talents of citizen journalists creates a win-win situation. The writers gain experience in writing for publication, and have the pleasure of receiving comments, compliments, and recognition for their efforts. Editors gain access to columns with original material, fresh insights, and diverse perspectives from various segments within the community, either cost-free or for very modest remuneration.
Citizen journalists are more trustworthy than professional journalists. They write for the sheer pleasure of expressing their thoughts on paper, and their finished products will be as perfect as they can make them. They have no hidden agendas and no time constraints. They will write about what they know, so their facts will be accurate and reflect the perspectives of those within their social circles and age brackets. All these factors are bonuses which will be handed on a silver platter to the clever editor who makes use of the considerable talents of citizen journalists.
Learn more about this author, Carolyn Tytler.
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No
With tools such as the Internet and blogs, everyone can be a journalist.
That can enable people to help change the world without necessarily having to go to college or become a media professional. But while having more watchdogs is not necessarily a bad thing, citizen journalism does have its drawbacks.
Journalism students are not only taught how to write stories and take photographs. They are also taught ethics and journalism law. Professors share scenarios where journalists have to put their ethics on the line and live with the consequences whatever direction they take.
As an Ohio University journalism professor once said, "Ethics are easy when nothing's at stake." It is easy to say you would be unbiased. But what if you are covering an issue that strikes home, such as pollution that affected your neighborhood? In one such case an opponent of a local egg farm asked if I could help her get a job so that she could write about the egg farm. She had an obvious agenda and could not understand why the newspaper could not just come right out and print everything that she and others alleged.
That is not to say that professional journalists are totally unbiased. It is only to say that we are taught to recognize our biases and to not let them influence our mission of serving as the watchdogs and informing the public about issues that may affect them. We understand that we must be objective about the news, no matter what issue we cover. Citizen journalists do not always follow that same creed.
Professional journalists are often seasoned. They are experienced at finding news and distinguishing it from innuendo and gossip that may or may not shine light on the issue at hand. They are also experienced at presenting it in a way that is more usable by the public.
An online article in the Huffington Post provided some valuable advice that should be practiced by all journalists but can specifically increase the credibility of today's citizen journalists.
The article, "Citizen Journalism Publishing Standards," suggests that journalists should only stick to the facts and never embellish details. They should exercise caution when quoting people so that their words are presented correctly. Adjectives should be used sparingly and never to exaggerate the details of an event.
Hearsay should be avoided by checking out claims, not taking people at face value. Journalism pieces should not include the writers' opinions. They are much stronger if the people in the articles are left to speak for themselves.
While I'm suggesting that citizen journalists are not more credible than professional journalists, I do not mean to state that they are not valuable. Anyone who has watched media trends has spotted times when professional journalists have let their readers down. There have been cases of both made up quotes and manipulated photographs. Having competition isn't necessarily a bad thing for traditional journalism.
Citizen and professional journalists can also become good partners. Often a citizen journalist's reach can be much wider than a professional journalist who likely does not have the same contacts in and knowledge of a community.
In today's world journalists are being asked to help provide answers, not just point out wrongs. They are entering into another trend called civic journalism in which they gather problem solvers and let their own voices be heard.
Citizen journalists can also often get the news out faster than many media outlets. This makes them especially valuable to the public in cases such as natural disasters. It also enables them to speak out about events such as government wrongs in locations of the world where traditional media are severely crippled in their reporting.
Blogs and social networking sites such as Twitter can go a long way at keeping the public informed. Citizen journalism also enables experts to get their voices heard without relying on the traditional media.
But while valuable, when it comes to credibility, citizen journalism still has a ways to go before it beats out its elder.
Learn more about this author, Kurt D. Moore.
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