As one of the last trends, citizen journalism is a fascinating topic, but it raises a lot of questions."people who are non-journalists commit random acts of journalism"So, in other words, it is user- generated news.
But in what way does it differ from the mainstream media? Are traditional media so outdated they have become an endangered species, about to disappear? What relationship can exist between the mainstream media and citizen journalism? Are they actual rivals or potential partners?
Start by checking out this short and funny video :
I'll ad that, first, even if people can be the only witness of an unexpected event, where no journalist was... in order for a large audience to know about it and see their video, they still need it to be broadcasted by the mainstream 
media to have the news circulate. And the mainstream media make the news more easily accessible to a large number of people.
The true positive side of citizen journalism is that it widens the range of information providers. I learnt in high school that 75% of the images broadcasted in the world came from CNN. Knowing that, it is harder to expect different opinions and perspectives from the mainstream media... CJ is about views and news. I agree that if the content that is posted as news by the people looks like the scoop of the century, it may be a rumor as well (see the Steve Jobs case...), but when it is just a controversial report that does not follow the media's bias, it may be worth hearing it, if it is supported by evidences - whatever topic it is about.
media to have the news circulate. And the mainstream media make the news more easily accessible to a large number of people.The true positive side of citizen journalism is that it widens the range of information providers. I learnt in high school that 75% of the images broadcasted in the world came from CNN. Knowing that, it is harder to expect different opinions and perspectives from the mainstream media... CJ is about views and news. I agree that if the content that is posted as news by the people looks like the scoop of the century, it may be a rumor as well (see the Steve Jobs case...), but when it is just a controversial report that does not follow the media's bias, it may be worth hearing it, if it is supported by evidences - whatever topic it is about.
Then, the mainstream media can also benefit from that trend by offering the users a forum, like CNN did with Ireport. They understood they won't be out of business if they establish a partnership with citizen journalists, and it can be lucrative. They get videos, news and freelance for free! And let's face it, they are not really threatened because they are an institution ...whenever politicians have important information to pass through, they organize a press conference for journalists to spread the word. They won't call you first...
So, I think it doesn't have to be one or the other. It will take some time for us to adjust to this new source of information, and to figure out which sites provide reliable, quality content. And I think most people will continue to trust mainstream media even if they criticize them.
But the concept of Citizen Journalism is definitely rising because it promotes freedom of thought and passion for knowledge, in the hands of the people. It can be seen a contribution from active citizens, a form of political participation, without being automatically tagged as amateurism.
Photo credits to :
- www.cartoonstock.com
-http://bp1.blogger.com
-http://413rimrats.blogspot.com
-http://lifeinbonitasprings.com
And if you have 9 minutes, watch this very interesting video about this topic...
