By ASMITA KUNDU

With the growing popularity of mobile phones, the internet and, most importantly, social media, citizen journalism has become a part of everyday media content. Although citizen journalism in its current form is often traced back to the 1980s, the term itself came into common usage around the year 2000, as a way of challenging the role of traditional news organisations in shaping public opinion.

Citizen journalism, also known as amateur journalism, is the gathering, reporting and distribution of news by ordinary people who are not trained, professional journalists. This news is shared on blogs and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, using smartphones, cameras and computers.

Differences between citizen journalism and traditional journalism

• Traditional journalism relies on trained reporters, editorial checks and interviews, while citizen journalists usually report what they have personally experienced. That eyewitness closeness makes their accounts feel human and immediate, and readers connect easily with them.
• Professional reporters cannot reach every remote place instantly after something happens. An eyewitness on the spot can become an amateur journalist, gathering information and reporting the incident. By the time a media representative arrives, the news is often already out on social media. Today incidents are reported within minutes, and that is possible because of citizen journalists and the internet.
• News organisations can face pressure - political or commercial - over what they report. Citizen journalism, using the reach of social media, can still bring such incidents into public view and push the authorities to act quickly.

In recent years we have seen the power of citizen journalism many times: the Black Lives Matter movement grew into a worldwide protest with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter as people shared their experiences online; the MeToo movement found global recognition via Twitter; and during COVID-19, ordinary people created awareness by sharing personal experiences and, at times, exposing the real strain on healthcare systems.

Advantages of citizen journalism

• It creates instant eyewitness accounts: citizen journalists generally report incidents they personally experienced and recorded as audio, video or pictures.
• It lets the audience look at an event from many possible angles.
• It brings forward stories the mainstream press often ignores and builds awareness among the public.
• It promotes every citizen's freedom of speech and can help organise mass protest on digital platforms.

Disadvantages of citizen journalism

• Because news spreads through social media, false news can spread just as quickly.
• Videos and photos can easily be taken out of context and create misunderstanding among the public.
• Reports can be biased or unreliable. Professional journalists are bound by work ethics and laws, but that is not the case with citizen journalists, so readers should verify before believing and sharing.

A responsible citizen journalist should be assertive, unbiased and original, ethical enough not to intrude on anyone's privacy, and careful never to create unnecessary hype around a story.

Conclusion

With the progress of technology and wider access to the internet, citizen journalism will keep growing rapidly. It is a good addition to traditional journalism, but it cannot be relied upon as the main news source. At its best, it gives power back to people - the choice to cover their own issues and bring them before the world.

Read also: Citizen Journalism on Social Media: Why Viral News Needs a Second Look