The concept of citizen
journalism is based upon public citizens playing an active role in the process
of collecting, reporting, analysing, and disseminating news and information.
They do the work of professional journalists. Citizen journalists are
associated with names such as public, democratic, participatory, guerrilla or
street journalism. These journalists
have the opportunity to do the work of professional journalists due to the
introduction of new media, thus, the internet has introduced the social media
platform like Facebook, whatsapp, twitter.
A professional journalist cannot be
everywhere at the same time to cover events and as a result, citizen journalists
with sophisticated devices at the time of an incident or event can record
pictures, video, audio and disseminate information. Hence act as first hand
source of news. Also in societies where the press is censored, these
journalists act as an alternative source of news.
Social media, regarded
as the future of communication is a countless array of internet based
applications and platforms in which they create, share and exchange information
and ideas in communities and networks. This new form of media makes the
transfer of texts, videos, audio, photos and information in general
increasingly fluid among internet users. Platforms like twitter, Facebook, and
linked in have created online communities where people can share as much or as
little personal information. Social bookmarking tools and news sites such as
Digg, Delicious, Reddit and countless others make finding specific information,
images or websites simple by assigning or tasking individual sites with
searchable keywords.
Traditional media
refers to the usually archaic way of disseminating information. Traditional
media also known as analogue media or mainstream media comes in the form of
print (newspapers, magazines), broadcast (T.V, radio). Grimes(2008) defines the
traditional media as ‘those’ companies which create, produce and distribute information
and entertainment content which pre-date the commercial business of the
internet. He views newspapers, magazines, yellow pages, outdoor advertising,
radio and television stations and broadcast networks as traditional media.
A case in point is sending mail through the
post office and reading newspapers whereas sending email, reading electronic
newspaper articles on the internet, listening to radio via the internet. Also,
the use of mobile phones for taking pictures and sharing information is an example
of new or modern ways of doing things.
However, the invention
of new media, i.e. social media has posed a great threat to the traditional
media. The social media has a number of advantages over the traditional media
in the following ways;
First and foremost, the
new media gives ultimate satisfaction and feedback to its audience. Traditional
media does not give its audience the platform to take part in news production.
They are dormant; also they do not have the luxury to choose what segment of
news to listen to, because of this, maximum gratification is not derived. There
is no information flow from audience to the mainstream media thus comments and
opinion. With social media, today audience can choose from a large range of
news categories to listen to or read e.g. sports news, educational news and so
on. Audiences have the opportunity to express opinions on issues and
participate in news production.
Ethics, such as gate
keeping performed by mainstream media is forgone by citizen journalists who
report to the very core of issues. They do not view any issue as sensational
like the mainstream does before selecting what qualifies as news. This singular
move by citizen journalist with the use of new media is threatening the work of
mainstream journalists.
The fast and quick way
of sending and obtaining news and information from citizen journalists via
social media has led to a low patronage of traditional news outlets especially
the print media. Before these media houses get to the scene of events to cover
and process the news before printing, the citizen journalists would have
captured and shared to a large number of people within a short period of time,
and these audiences would not buy a newspaper to read the same news.
In view of the threat
caused by the new media, an entrepreneur and author, Andrew Keen is of the
opinion that ‘cult of the amateur’ is undermining great companies who have
consistently created value through impacting quality information and
education’. Keen says ‘we need to fight back to retain the structures and
professions that are in danger of dying out, taking with them concepts such as
quality and trust’.
It comes as no surprise
that a majority of media houses have adopted the ways of the new media in
addition to their traditional ways of doing things. Today during news bulletin,
audiences are given the platform to share their views on issues and report news
around them. For instance, most news bulletin includes audience forum that
allows them to share their views.
Some media houses
resort to citizen journalists in various regions to obtain information or news
especially in those communities or regions they find themselves. This is to get
citizens involved in news process.
The introduction of ICT
infrastructure during news bulletin and programs e.g. laptops and auto scripts,
instead of reading news on sheet of papers, I Pads, LCD television has made it
more technological and all-inclusive.
Infotainment became a
welcome relief to the news concentrated bulletins. This is the combination of
both information and entertainment in news delivery usually associated with
political communication. The use of cartoons in newspapers can be an example.
Finally, traditional
media houses have brought their works on-line to reach a larger audience just
like citizen journalists e.g. e-newspapers, listening to radio and news
bulletins on the internet and sending feedback. Example is peacefmonline.
Although the work of professional journalists leads
the battle with the rise of powerful voices who used to be the dormant audience
but now doing journalism with the use of new media, traditional media as well
as professional journalists are systematically employing new media to maintain
the media’s position as the 4th arm of the state and powerful
mouthpiece of society.
SOURCES/REFERENCES
1. Socialmediatoday- The rise of citizen journalists
2. Tufts.edu/social-media-overview- What is Social
Media?
3. Huffington post- How Social Media is supporting a
fundamental shift in Journalism.
4. New media: theories and applications, Van Schaik
publishers - Traditional media vs. New Media.
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