Journalism is the winner when citizens and reporters work together
In the last number of years brand new sources of news are becoming apparent throughout the world as a new body of journalists report on breaking news.
These are not professionally trained reporters, nor are they affiliated with any media outlet.
They are ordinary members of the public who are witnesses to newsworthy events and they are part of a growing army of citizen journalists.
For a professional journalist, what does this all mean?
In one sense it means that ordinary people can be the eyes and ears - the "boots on the ground" - of media outlets such as newspapers, television and radio stations.
In recent months, riots and protests in the Ukraine were highlighted by citizen journalists at the scene. Using nothing more than a camera phone, they recorded the unfolding events. For an ordinary citizen it means that they are no longer just a passive observer of news but are instead able to actively contribute and co-produce the material.
Social media plays a huge role in the way this news is distributed and reported. Very often stories can first break on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter and come to the attention of newspapers.
With over 255 million accounts on Twitter, new stories and events can be discovered and reported on through tweets posted by people who witnessed the events. It is now the job of professional journalists to track down and authenticate more information.
Companies like Storyful.com are now dedicated to finding the most relevant information within the hustle and bustle of social media and use their expertise to track down sources and confirm the information.
Looking into reports that #Vostok have surrounded a government building in #Donetsk https://t.co/xSXpkQoSoM #Ukraine #Russia
— Storyful (@Storyful) May 29, 2014
Jill O'Sullivan, Editor of BreakingNews.ie points out that “social media has created a space where there is two way communication between newsrooms and the public, and that didn’t really exist before.”
Dolan O'Hagan, Executive Editor of News and Digital at the Irish Examiner, goes further. "It’s changed the world. People have access, people can reveal things that were once unrevealable. We’ve seen much change in the world which is simply down to citizen journalism.”
Despite this many traditional, well-established media are trying to grasp how best to utilise this new source of news.
They are struggling to ensure a healthy balance between professional and citizen journalism, particularly with regard to the proper verification of content that has been published on social media.
I really love researching #citizenjournalism. I come across ridiculously interesting videos like this one https://t.co/9TVk25qzn5
— Greg Murphy 🤓 (@TheGregMurphy) April 22, 2014
Many citizens often have their own political, religious or personal agendas and biases and will put their own spin on the stories in an effort to win support for their cause.
Editors also have to determine whether the material they publish is legally and ethically suitable.
So what does the future hold for the relationship between professional and citizen journalists? It is a question which is difficult to answer.
The goal of citizen journalists is often simply to make their voices and stories heard and raise awareness of an issue close to their heart. A professional journalist, whilst having similar goals, is also - or at least should be - tasked with providing ethical and objective reporting.
So who is more important in this equation?
“They are equally as important as each other…” said Mr O'Hagan. “That might be a bold statement but the future will be a two way conversation."
Communication and fact checking, it seems, will continue to be the most important aspect of the relationship between professional and citizen journalists.
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