news - what's it to you?
TRANSCRIPT
News: What’s it to you?
Mainstream News and Citizen Journalism
Image: paulgillin/NewsPaperDeathWatch
The news has
always had a large
presence in
everyday life.
Photo: KC Toh/Flickr
With the introduction of social media however, the definition of what the news is, as well as the sources of news have both changed drastically.
Photo: linkedmediagrp/Flickr
The news is becoming more
of a participatory conversation.
Image: OregonDOT/Flickr
Or journalism by non journalists, “refers to individuals playing an active role in the process of collecting,reporting, sorting, analyzing and disseminating news and information—a task once reserved almost exclusively to the news media.” (Lasica, 2003)
Photo:illyjac/Flickr
Many people credit this change to “Citizen Journalism”
The news is now being delivered from many people across multiple platforms.
Image: shapeshift /Flickr
As a result, mainstream news sources are having a tough time holding onto an
audience.
Image: lakewentworth/Flickr
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
These alternative sourcesof media, like mainstream
media, also have bias.
However, we seem to be aware of the biases that
come with personal journalism, but instead of showcasing them like in mainstream journalism,
they are embraced.
Image: dermot_reeve/Flickr
The September 11, 2001 and London Bombings of July 7, 2005 have both been credited with being the first cases of citizen journalism.
Both incidents occurred after the morning newspaper had already been delivered. Photo: Mike Licht NotionsCapital.com/Flickr
Since many news sources were unable to get right to the scenes at the moments the events happened,
citizens present were the ones reporting.
Photo: Mike Gilbert Photography/Flickr
Citizens present in both scenarios quickly found themselves documenting the events by taking photos, video, or blogging. They were posted on the internet for their friends, family, and unbeknownst to them, the world to see.
(Image: Scoopt/BBC News)
Many mainstream news sources were sent an influx of photos that citizens had
taken.
“By lunchtime the BBC had received 5,000 images, and by the end of the day 10,000”-Torin Doublas, BBC News
Photos from London Bombings: 1)Adam Stacey 2) Warren McKenzie/BBC News 3)Annonymus/BBC News
Commenters and fellow bloggers add to the conversation through commenting, or adding multimedia. Thus, the stories are enhanced through different perspectives.
Photo:Dominique K/Flickr
• Have the interest and expertise in a certain field
• No timeline• No regulations on
language• More personal feel• Visually pleasing
Some “pros” of citizen journalism include:
Photo: chigmaroff/Flickr
Photo: besfort z/Flickr
Where does this leave mainstream news media?
On the television, in the paper and online, news sources are always asking for citizens input. Whether it is
through comments, photos and videos, or testimonies.
Photo:digitaljournal.com/Flickr
News sources have noticed this rise in citizen journalism, & have introduced different news delivery methods across the same platforms citizen journalists and audiences use.
Photo: femiknitter/Flickr
One of the most popular ways is through twitter. This allows for news teams to add more to a story, and to follow up with others. Photo: johnturner/Flickr
This often comes in the form of a online team, or individual reporters having their own twitter account.
Photo: Anthony Quintano/Flickr
Even social media websites, designed for interaction between others, deliver to us in a “news like” fashion:
Facebook - news feedTwitter - headlinesLink enabled, video and photo friendly
Image: Mehfuz Hossain/Flickr
Further, the advent of the smart phone and tablet
has made it even easier for citizens to blog, share, and
connect with traditional news sources.
Photo: 1) PaytonLow/Flickr 2) RobbMontgomery/Flickr
Bloggers tend to use stories from major news organizations and cover them,
therefore strengthening the influence of mainstream media in a sense.
Photo:*KarenT*/Flickr
Some citizen journalists use their blogs to watch over the mainstream news to point
out incorrect or missing information.
Photo: JSF /Flickr✯
The question is, if citizen journalists are keeping tabs on mainstream news, who is looking over the citizen journalists?
Can we really give them as much or more credibility than mainstream news?
Photo:Frozen Canuck/Flickr
What do you think? Does the power to deliver news rest on citizens, or
the mainstream news? Or it is more give and take?
Photo: basheertome/Flickr
Kaitlin RossFilm 315sMay 20, 2011
Photo: kevindooley/Flickr