Citizen Journalism

1) What is meant by the term ‘citizen journalist’?

Citizen journalism is the gathering, writing, editing, production and distribution of news and information by people not trained as professional journalists.

Citizen journalists are non-professionals who collect, disseminate and analyze news on blogs, wikis and sharing websites using tablets, laptops, cell phones, digital cameras and other mobile and wireless technologies. 

Citizen journalism is the term used to describe people that have used primary content to bring some form of justice or to give their opinion on something. They have obtained the content through themselves, usually in the form of images, videos and written content.

2) What was one of the first examples of news being generated by ‘ordinary people’?

The unknown person that filmed Rodney King getting beaten by police officers. This was user generated content (primary content) that was used to bring justice to him, however as it was filmed by an ordinary person it becomes citizen journalism. 

3) List some of the formats for participation that are now offered by news organisations.

- Photos 

- Twitter 

- Blogs

- Social Media

4) What is one of the main differences between professionally shot footage and that taken 

first-hand (UGC)?

First hand footage is footage from people that are actually there when something is happening so you get to see it in real life with more emotion as you know it is real. With professional they make time to get there and may not be in time for the disaster that has happened for e.g. Another difference is the quality which is obvious but some people may see poor quality as more real as it is first hand and shows they are not being bias and are actually there. 

UGC footage - This footage gives us the first hand look at what is happening, the feeling of a hand held camera, the shaking of the footage and the slightly grainy footage puts the audience in the point of view of the person filming. 

5) What is a gatekeeper?

A gate keeper is someone that filters the content that is shown on TV, they go through content that people have sent in and they see what may be useful and what isn't. Gatekeepers are needed as a lot of the time people send in information that is unnecessary, for example  a BBC spokes person said that a lot of the images sent in were of peoples kittens.  

6)How has the role of a gatekeeper changed?

Due to online and blogs the minority now get to have a say in the news with large audiences accessing it to see what their views are. Not just broadcast news anymore, also internet.