First Draft by Tim Porter: Shark Bites Citizen Journalism

Stick a fork in it. “Citizen Journalism,” as the moniker describing John and Jane Q’s ability to create their own media, is done. The shark has been jumped.

I was at the gym this afternoon trying to reverse the effects of a late night of Dewars and dancing at the local rock n’ roll saloon, done to the tunes of a Stones tribute band (love the wigs, lads!) and all in a celebration of a good pal’s 40th birthday, when one of the TV screens hanging above the treadmills filled with the words, in all caps, CITIZEN JOURNALISM. CNN was asking viewers to email in photos and videos of Hurricane Dennis. (Here’s a spot on CNN’s web site asking for the same thing without the “citizen journalism” phrase.

…”Citizen journalism” as a concept
is still being defined. At its base, though, are the acts of
participation in coverage and creation of media. On a higher level, it
involves a new definition of news and a realignment of the relationship between reporter and community.

The victims of terrorism in the London underground became reporters
when they felt compelled to capture the scene that surrounded them and
communicate with those outside of it. No one needed to suggest that
they do it. The urgency of the moment and the capability of the technology combined to make it happen. It was an inevitable collision.

What happened in London was reporting. I learn something. I tell it
to you. It’s also empowering because those bloodied and soot-blackened
commuters took control of some of coverage by creating it themselves.
As I said the other day: Terrorism made them victims; technology made them reporters.

I’m pretty sure what “citizen journalism” is not is CNN soliciting photographs from viewers and then putting a few of them on its web site. It’s more like the visual equivalent of the man-on-the-street story. Maybe what CNN is doing should be called “postcard journalism.” Am I being too cynical?

Not too cynical. But read my earlier post – you might be an ambulance chaser .