The emergence of technology as everyday essentials (computers, PDAs, mobile phones etc) has had a significant impact on citizen journalism.
No longer just part of the audience, members of the public are frequently invited by media organisations to submit video footage or pictures in an effort to ensure 24 hour coverage.
Only minutes after the bombs ignited in the London Underground, train passengers sent grainy video and photo footage to the BBC, providing instantaneous news for the rest of the world to see (See image).
Wikipedia, an encyclopedia website able to be edited by ordinary internet users, has also emerged as a news source. Earlier this year, it was alleged that Wikipedia had broken the news of the death of popular American journalist, Tim Russert. The story goes that half an hour before official media organisations reported the news, a junior employee of an internet news company changed Russert’s entry, usurping the role of traditional television and radio news services.
While user participation has provided greater news coverage, consideration must be given to the implications. Wikipedia is interactive but this has come under criticism because it has been a cause of inaccuracy. It is also evident that some members of the public, unlike experienced journalists, do not have adequate legal or ethics training.
Hence, while there are many advantages of user-generated news it is clear that it needs to be closely monitored.
Only minutes after the bombs ignited in the London Underground, train passengers sent grainy video and photo footage to the BBC, providing instantaneous news for the rest of the world to see (See image).
Wikipedia, an encyclopedia website able to be edited by ordinary internet users, has also emerged as a news source. Earlier this year, it was alleged that Wikipedia had broken the news of the death of popular American journalist, Tim Russert. The story goes that half an hour before official media organisations reported the news, a junior employee of an internet news company changed Russert’s entry, usurping the role of traditional television and radio news services.
While user participation has provided greater news coverage, consideration must be given to the implications. Wikipedia is interactive but this has come under criticism because it has been a cause of inaccuracy. It is also evident that some members of the public, unlike experienced journalists, do not have adequate legal or ethics training.
Hence, while there are many advantages of user-generated news it is clear that it needs to be closely monitored.
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