Blogging: Steering Traditional Journalism into A New Frontier

 I wrote my first blog in college. It described my experiences of studying abroad in Ireland during a five-week trip. A year after graduating college, I decided to write another blog that focused on offering advice to students getting ready to graduate and look for employment. In 2019, I set out on writing a blog that was personal to me because I described how I find hope in the dark times. I was inspired to write the blog after my grandmother passed away in 2010. I have written many blogs that focused on different areas of my life. This year was the first time I blogged in two years. I gained a new appreciation for blogging in this course. Blogging serves a purpose in journalism. It helps build a dialogue between journalists and the public. As newsrooms start to shrink, more citizen journalists are being used to disseminate information and report on current events online. In today’s discussion, I will talk about how citizen and professional journalists serve a similar purpose and how blogs can be used as a tool for professional communicators.

                          

                       A picture I took that was featured on my traveling blog in Ireland
 

Citizen Journalism: A New Wave of Reporting

The rise of social media has allowed members of the public to contribute to news stories by posting comments to professional news sites. Traditional journalism offers letters to the editor, but that is limited to certain content. Social media news sites analyze their user posts to limit obscene or objectionable messages. Citizen and professional journalists often work together to help develop stories for publication. Professional journalists like to utilize individuals with knowledge of a specific subject when producing online content. Some citizen journalists are lone wolves who like to work alone. They are likely to produce content on “blogs in which individuals can report on events in their communities or offer commentary on the issues of the day, YouTube channels where citizens give their own news reports and commentaries, and even unofficial print publications” (Rogers, 2019). Citizen journalists were once described as a threat to traditional journalism because news-gathering was no longer being done solely by professional reporters. I would not describe citizen journalists as a threat because there will always be a need for professional reporters to go through a critical review of content before publication. Citizens producing a story faster than a news outlet does not mean it is without flaws. “Unlike professional journalists, citizen journalists may not have conducted the same background research and source verification, which can make these leads less reliable” (Rogers, 2019). Fact-checking is important especially in the world of fake news. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been unconfirmed news stories spreading across the internet. These fake news stories have caused confusion and distress among some members of the public. There are some citizen journalists who have been the source of these fake news stories. Many professional journalists strive to provide information that has been thoroughly vetted before release. Even if that means not being the first outlet with the news. It is better to be late with accurate information than early with errors.

There are many ways that citizen journalism can be used in professional newsrooms. One way is for newsrooms to build a camaraderie with their readers. Citizens are willing to participate in stories with trusted news sources they have built a dialogue with online. “Two-way conversation is an imperative characteristic of most citizen journalism, yet it appears to remain threatening to many people in the journalism and publishing professions” (Outing, 2005). Open-source reporting is another way citizens and professional journalists can collaborate. Professional reporters can do this by presenting a topic and asking readers for assistance. When I was a reporter, I would often ask for input from readers regarding questions I would have about topics I was researching for a story. For example, when a case of avian influenza was reported in the United States, I had to find a local angle to publish. With the help of readers and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, I was able to find a local resident who owned 10 chickens and lived near the newsroom. I was grateful to the readers who helped me produce the story.

Blogging: A New Era of Reporting

Professional journalists can build their audience by having citizens blog for the news organization. Many citizen blogs garner interest by readers because of their unique perspective on certain topics. Journalists can seek out local bloggers who have a strong base of online users. Reporters can use bloggers to their advantage when it comes to producing news stories. “A great promise of citizen blogs is that they can cover topics and areas uncovered by or too narrow to warrant the interest of the news staff” (Outing, 2005). My previous newspaper utilized citizens to cover sports that our small staff did not have the manpower to go out and report. Some citizen bloggers are not the most reliable because they tend to jump ship after a short stint. Professional reporters are still necessary to ensure that stories are reviewed and accurate.

In conclusion, citizen and professional journalists are distinct, but not always separate. These types of journalists can collaborate on projects that help bring untold stories to the forefront and produce conversations that build a dialogue with the public. Some citizen journalists prefer to operate on their own. Whether independent or in collaboration with a news site, citizen journalists are creating content that offers a different perspective that readers might relate to more than a news site. Blogging is a critical tool for citizen and professional journalists. Each blog offers a perspective that is unique to the topic at hand. Blogs offer a way for journalists to provide a subjective lens to a story. Journalists have more freedom when it comes to writing blogs. Blogging can be used to express thoughts that tend to be compressed when writing for a news site. There is more creativity when writing a blog. Whether it is for personal or professional use, blogs will remain a critical form of communication.

References:

Outing, S. (2005, May 31). The 11 Layers of Citizen Journalism. Poynter. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from https://www.poynter.org/archive/2005/the-11-layers-of-citizen-journalism/.

Rogers, T. (2019, January 15). Citizen Journalism and Its Powerful Role Outside the Mainstream Media. ThoughtCo. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-citizen-journalism-2073663.

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