Citizen and Civic Journalism

JEM 457 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------February 20, 2009 Citizen Journalism GROUP Citizen journalism Has been a part of the way news is reported People and professionals use tools to put our news Makes professional?s jobs easier Mediums Blogs, camera phones, personal accounts, video recorders Cell phones = immediate event recording Dan Gilmore: first blogger Started when video recorders became a popular trend Rochey King incident Negative ( photo manipulation, staged, events, illegal obtainment Ethics No code of ethics Anonymous? Are you credible? Are you accountable for what you publish? Some are being treated as citizen journalists It just depends on the circumstances There?s no Supreme Court difference between citizen journalists and other journalists Josh Wolf case; Branzburg v. Hayes case (1972) Copyright infringement Defamation Viacom v. YouTube Internet photos (cite if getting money/profit) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------February 23, 2009 Civic Journalism Civic Journalism Utilizing the pluralistic groups in society to tell a story More give and take between journalism and the public Rooted in a need to get the public more interested in their communities Media as a watchdog Focuses on interactions Techniques include: Open-ended polling, town hall meetings, reporting of candidate apathy towards voters, focus groups Results of civic journalism Creates civil behavior Builds knowledge Increases profits Increases credibility Civic mapping Inviting various groups and making connections outside the norm Controversies of civic journalism Are journalists public advocates? Does this approach make journalist rely on what the ?market? wants?