Session Hosts: Keegan Clements-Housser & Amber Rivera<\/p>\n
Participants
\nKaren Alvarado
\nAlex Powers
\nCameron Whitten
\nEmily Olson
\nBill Densmore
\nMatt Gatie
\nKhari Johnson
\nShawn Poynter
\nLinda Jue
\nLauren Pabst<\/p>\n
\u201cCitizen journalism is here to stay; we can\u2019t put that genie back in the bottle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Note: Throughout the session we used, interchangeably, the terms citizen journalism \/community journalism\/participatory journalism.<\/p>\n
Why are you here?
\n\u2022\tCollect wisdom on how we get the \u201cpros\u201d to recognize citizen journalists
\n\u2022\tHow to hand the reins to community
\n\u2022\tThe credentialing of citizen journalists
\no\t+1; More news; less opinion
\n\u2022\tSome countries have a panel for credentialing citizen journalists. Why not in the U.S., when there\u2019s evidence of the value of every citizen being a reporter in our founding documents?
\n\u2022\tEmergence of technology has changed the game\u2026how might community journalists represent their biases in ways that are different than traditional journalists?
\n\u2022\tEthical decisions are personal\u2026so what kind of training do citizen journalists need in it?
\n\u2022\t\u201cParticipatory civic media\u201d \u2013 a branch of focus for the MacArthur Foundation right now<\/p>\n
What are the strengths and weaknesses of professional journalism, and of community journalism? (* indicates an item that was listed as both a strength and a weakness)<\/p>\n
Professional journalism \u2013 Strengths
\n\u2022\tConsistency of approach
\n\u2022\tSet of ethical norms
\n\u2022\tAn entity for a consumer to appeal to if he or she is aggrieved
\n\u2022\tAudience
\n\u2022\tDogma of objectivity*
\n\u2022\tCompensation structures
\n\u2022\tLegal protection & an institution to back you as a journalist
\n\u2022\tLegitimacy & access in official spaces (asking for an interview with the Mayor, e.g.)
\n\u2022\tResources
\n\u2022\tNetwork of colleagues<\/p>\n
Professional journalism \u2013 Weaknesses
\n\u2022\tInflexible
\n\u2022\tPressure from the ownership\/financial ties\/system\/donors
\n\u2022\tFocused on the audience, and driven by that focus (direct or indirect)
\n\u2022\tDogma of objectivity*
\n\u2022\tFalse equivalency\/balance in the reporting<\/p>\n
Community journalism \u2013 Strengths
\n\u2022\tDirect feedback from consumers \u2013 no institutional buffer
\n\u2022\tMission-driven. Specifically, social missions.
\n\u2022\tNot yet jaded. Or jaded so much that the individual has been moved to action.
\n\u2022\tConcerned about individual reputation in a community; personally accountable.
\n\u2022\tNo potential for editorial divergence from reporters\u2019 coverage
\n\u2022\tLower barrier to entry*
\n\u2022\tBiases are more apparent
\n\u2022\tNo deadlines, and no pressure to publish
\n\u2022\tCan access some people that professional journalists cannot
\n\u2022\tEditorial freedom (or, more flexible editorial structure)<\/p>\n
Community journalism \u2013 Weaknesses
\n\u2022\tLower barrier to entry*
\n\u2022\tCoverage gets picked up without attribution
\n\u2022\tExposure to risk
\n\u2022\tLack of an editor
\n\u2022\tInvariable quality
\n\u2022\tUphill battle to be taken seriously
\n\u2022\tLack codified ethical framework
\n\u2022\tReliance on corporate social media platforms and their algorithms<\/p>\n
How do we bridge these two areas of journalism? Ideas:
\n\u2022\tThere\u2019s potential for collaborating around a shared agenda
\n\u2022\tAlways give attribution to citizen journalists if you use their work in your story
\n\u2022\tProfessional journalists could act as curators of citizen journalists\u2019 content\u2026maybe.
\n\u2022\tOr, professional journalists could serve in the role of fact checker for the community journalist\u2014only a fact checker\/verification.
\n\u2022\tWe need a code of collaboration. Note: The Media Consortium is working on this!
\n\u2022\tPoynter has been working on a code of conduct for citizen journalists
\n\u2022\tShare the facts (Duke University Reporters\u2019 Lab) is working to automate an index for accuracy\u2026could that concept also be applied to individuals for legitimacy? (\u201cBBB for citizen journalists, those who consume their content, and those who publish their content)
\n\u2022\tCould establish community editors within news orgs whose only role is to build relationships with citizen journalists
\n\u2022\tHow can journalists hand off stories once they themselves must move on, for community journalists to continue the story?<\/p>\n
Aside: Some emerging j-school trained journalists are unclear and anxious about how open they can be about their personal beliefs, in the current media\/hiring ecosystem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Session Hosts: Keegan Clements-Housser & Amber Rivera Participants Karen Alvarado Alex Powers Cameron Whitten Emily Olson Bill Densmore Matt Gatie Khari Johnson Shawn Poynter Linda Jue Lauren Pabst \u201cCitizen journalism is here to stay; we can\u2019t put that genie back … Continue reading