LECTURE 01 What is New Media?

LECTURE 10Citizen Journalism & New MediaCourse: Introduction to New MediaCourse code: NM401Course Instructor: Khansa Tarar

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar11Citizen JournalismNew Media theorists such as Dan Gillmor, Henry Jenkins, Jay Rosen and Jeff Howe have recently touted Citizen Journalism (CJ) as the latest innovation in 21st century journalism.Participatory journalism and user-driven journalism are other terms to describe CJ, which its proponents argue is a disruptive innovation (Christensen) to the agenda-setting media institutions, news values and objective reportagePublic, Guerrilla, Street, democratic Journalism12-05-2015Khansa Tarar2Who does CJWho is the citizen in CJ? What is their self-awareness as a political agent? CJ proponents who use the self-image of citizen draw on observations from the participatory vision of open source software, peer-to-peer networks, and self conducted research (Trippi).12-05-2015Khansa Tarar3CJ as New Media PopulismPopulismis a political doctrine that appeals to the interests and conceptions (such as hopes and fears) of the general people, especially contrasting those interests with the interests of the elite.12-05-2015Khansa Tarar4Parallels: Event-driven & Civic JournalismFor new media programs, CJ builds on two earlier traditions: the Event-driven journalism of crises like the 1991 Gulf War (Wark) and the Civic Journalism school that emerged in the 1960s social upheavals.Civic Journalisms awareness of minorities and social issues provides the character ethic and political philosophy for many Citizen Journalists. Jay Rosen and others suggest that CJ is the next-generation heir to Civic Journalism,12-05-2015Khansa Tarar5Pro-Ams & Professional Journalisms CrisisCJ emerged during a period when Professional Journalism faced a major crisis of self-image. The Demos reportThe Pro-Am Revolution(Leadbeater & Miller) popularised the notion of professional amateurs which some CJ theorists adopt to strengthen their categorisation. In turn, this triggers a response from cultural theorists who fear bloggers are new medias barbarians (Keen)New Breed of Demi-Experts: collapsing the distinction between an expert and a tinkerer.12-05-2015Khansa Tarar6Pro-Am RevolutionCheaper technology offers amateurs increasingly powerful tools; The Internet allows them to collaborate globally and train themselves more rapidly. The upshot is that amateurs are increasingly holding themselves to professional standards and producing significant innovations and discoveries. For Example: The Linux computer system was created by geeks working without pay in their spare time, Jay Mcneil Discovery

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar7Definition12-05-2015Khansa Tarar8Participatory/ Citizen Journalism is:The act of a citizen, or group of citizens, playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information. The intent of this participation is to provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information that a democracy requires.

As Alternative MediaRadical challenge to the professionalized and institutionalized practices of the mainstream mediaCitizen Journalismhas put democracy back in people's hands. An army of individuals with mobile phones, portable cameras, and blogs is rapidly replacing traditional media as a reliable and wide-ranging source of information.A threat to Value Based, Objective and Agenda-Setter Main-Stream Media

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar9Alternative to Mainstream MediaUnfortunately, popular beliefhas it that news coming from official, mainstream channels is superior in quality and reliability than news reported by a blogger or someone with a shaky camcorder. Traditional media keep being preached as the source of truth, but what they lack is exactly the essence of truth: validation.How do you establish what is true from what is false? 12-05-2015Khansa Tarar10Traditional vs. ParticipatoryThe most obvious differencebetween participatory journalism and traditional journalism is the different structure and organization that produce them.Traditional mediaare created by hierarchical organizations that are built for commerce. Their business models are broadcast and advertising focused. They value rigorous editorial workflow, profitability and integrity.Participatory journalismis created by networked communities that value conversation, collaboration and egalitarianism over profitability.

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar11Their PointMainstream media have a one-way dialogue with their audience: there's no way to check back what was told or written. Participatory journalism, on the contrary, finds its very strength in the continuous, ongoing validation process operated by a large community. You can easily share your opinion, agree / disagree with what is being said by taking advantage of new technologies and the web. This is why it is also called Participatory Journalism.

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar12Traditional Media

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar13Alternative Media

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar14Journalism At a CrossroadsAccording to the authors, each time there has been a period of significant, social, economic and technological change, a transformation in news occurred. This happened in the 1830s-40s with the advent of the telegraph; the 1880s with a drop in paper prices and a wave of immigration; the 1920s with radio and the rise of gossip and celebrity culture; the 1950s at the onset of the Cold War and television.The arrival of cable, followed by the Internet and mobile technologies, has brought the latest upheaval in news. And this time, the change in news may be even more dramatic.12-05-2015Khansa Tarar15Kovach and Rosenstiel Explain,

"For the first time in our history, the news increasingly is produced by companies outside journalism, and this new economic organization is important. We are facing the possibility that independent news will be replaced by self-interested commercialism posing as news.

12-05-2015Khansa Tarar16We-MediaPrinciples that define the current "we media" movement:My readers know more than I do.That is not a threat, but rather an opportunity.We can use this together to create something between a seminar and a conversation, educating all of us.12-05-2015Khansa Tarar17We-MediaInteractivity and communications technology- in the form of email, weblogs, discussion boards, websites and more - make it happen.Personalization Vs. PerspectivesDo-it-yourself-journalism12-05-2015Khansa Tarar18Examples12-05-2015Khansa Tarar199/11Iraq WarColumbia Shuttle Incident-eyewitness accounts and photographsABCNews.com,The Notecovers 2004 political candidates and gave each individual weblog to comment back on what was reportedBBC strategy to publish best ones on its site

This raises some important questions:If participatory journalism has risenwithout the direct help of trained journalists or news industry initiatives, what role will mainstream media play?And are mainstream media willing to relinquishsome control and actively collaborate with their audiences?Or will an informed and empowered consumerbegin to frame the news agenda from the grassroots?And, will journalism's values endure?12-05-2015Khansa Tarar20