Everyone seems to be talking about ‘citizen journalism’, as if it is a completely new phenomenon that has taken over news reporting. I know I mentioned it in an earlier post as a reason for the decline of newspaper popularity, but that is not to say that it doesn’t make a significant and quite relevant contribution to our understanding of current affairs. I don’t think that people picking up a camera or a pen (that one is purely metaphorical now because we all use computers for everything published) is damaging the ‘legitimacy’ of news. When it comes down to it, ‘professional’ journalists may have a more authoritative voice in certain things, but most things that other people are taking the time to write about are those that affect them personally, they are involved with in some way, or are extremely passionate about. It is that passion, which has traditionally been denounced in the pursuit of ‘objective’ reporting that makes these alternate, and often biased, sources of information desirable. The line between news and views in blogging is often blurred, and the result is an opinion driven perspective on the usually dry and repetitive news.
A prime example is a blog I found from an Afghani man writing from and about Afghanistan during the past few turbulent years. For 3 years he blogged consistently about the news and current affairs, some if which were in our news and some of which were omitted. Although his opinions may differ from those of our government (and the US and other governments) and media, and his self-expression and grammar may not be perfect, but he does provide a much needed, insider perspective on the issues. It is apparent from the amount of responses to each post that his voice is not only wanted, but needed, by interested parties around the world.
Another example is the very well-known and successful Obama campaign, which was predominantly online, viral, and 'grassroots' campaigning. A large contributor to the campaign was a variety of voices, unknown and celebrity, being heard through the power of non-professional publication, i.e. blogs, youtube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Will I Am's video, A New Day, (cannot be embedded) which I'm sure you have all seen, gives a glimpse into the idea of social change in news, politics, and entertainment.
This shift from the traditional, top-down dispersion of news will hopefully foster a generation of non-complacent, more inquisitive and influential readers and writers. The availability of varied opinions and perspectives relieves ‘traditional’ journalists from their obligation as gate-keepers of the news, and no longer does any government or corporation ‘own the news’.
