Ecology & Democracy: Citizen Journalism in the Digital Age

The question is asked, "What is journalism for?"

Journalism is for Democracy

The article, Ecology & Democracy: Citizen Journalism in the Digital Age by Dr. Christine Tracy furthermore explores the evolving changes in the world of journalism. Journalism is far too often confused with the realm of "news" and the conglomerate of the large corporations. "There is a widespread demand for less pro forma political representation, whether by the press or elected officials, and for more participation." This statement pertains to the political agenda, yet I strongly feel it is a larger voice for society's demands of journalism.

The article further states: "The central purpose of journalism is to provide citizens with accurate and reliable information they need to function in a free society. This encompasses myriad roles-helping define community, creating common language and common knowledge, identifying a community's goals, heroes and villains, and pushing people beyond complacency.....offering a voice to the voiceless."

As a citizen journalist, there is the ability to report "news" not through the newspaper, not through the broadcast stations, not even through the radio, but rather through the keystroke click of posting on blogs, web forums and social media outlets. The ability to "voice" opinions, thoughts and the TRUE facts gives the meaning back to a democratic nation. No longer are we bound to wait for another person to tell us the news, to filter what we should know and to voice our opinions for us. As a citizen journalist, we hold the key to our own freedom to report.

Another key point in the article is stated: "Unlike traditional reporting, which is highly competitive and focused on scooping the competition, open-source reporting embraces a collaborative model: a community of readers with access to multiple resources working together to report news in a highly transparent and flexible environment. In a typical open-source practice, reporters inform readers of a topic under investigation and then ask readers to contribute leads, sources, tips and ideas-to actually join in the real reporting."

Inviting the community to partake in researching, investigating and contributing to the story utilizes the advantages of "objectivity". Sure there will those who will incorporate their opinions, thoughts and slant, but there are so many more doors to open with including citizens. As much as we would like to believe that we are SuperMan (Woman), we cannot do it all on our own....we MUST utilize, incorporate, encourage the resources that others have to offer.

Christmas 2009: VIDEO ASSIGNMENT

Check out my video!!! I was nervous when the assignment was first spoken of, but when I took the time to work with iMovie, I can say that I absolutely love it! It was fun! :) Also, the video can be found on YouTube.

Dynamic of Collective Intelligence

Pierre Levy states in his book,Collective Intelligence: Mankind's Emerging World in Cyberspace:

"Media centric politics simply reverse the totalitarian formula: rather than organize the constant surveillance of individuals through a national party run by a dictator, it focuses our attention on political celebrities. Everyone watches the same stars; the president, ministers, journalists, media people. They are the only ones we see and hear. But real-time democracy is organized not around the vision of power over a society, but the communication of the community with itself, knowledge of the community's self."

The voice of the community is rising in power. The capability to retrieve news information is no longer limited to the nightly broadcast newsroom or the morning newspaper flung across the dewy lawn. News is being distributed through social media forums that is accessible to anyone and everyone who desires it. Society is engaging in breaking news stories, feeding sites such as Twitter and Facebook with viable information that journalists can access without having to pry, dig and interrogate people.

Tony Rogers posted a blog article that explores the ways that journalists are expanding the horizon of investigating news stories to retrieve information. The article: Journalists Use Facebook to Find Sources and Promote Stories, shows how a social networking tool can be utilized for both personal and professional matters. The blog states that many journalists are utilizing such sites as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and MySpace to find sources, news stories and information that is readily available and easy to access.

Levy confirms the point that Tony Rogers conveys in his blog post by his prediction, "that we will take greater control of that value and everything related to it as we use technology to organize ourselves into what we call Living Cities. Here, physical location is less important than the interactions of its members, and not surprisingly, the lack of territorialities will challenge present methods of governance."

Welcome to the freedom of the Internet!

"This I Believe"

I believe in Equality. I believe that every human being, despite race, ethnicity, gender, religious preference, and sexual orientation deserves a fair chance and not be judged upon by another.

"Building on a proud tradition of national leadership in the preparation of teachers, we maximize educational opportunities and personal and professional growth for students from diverse backgrounds through an array of baccalaureate, master's and doctoral programs." I believe that Eastern Michigan University exhibits equality in the selection of students that are given the opportunity to attend EMU, as supported by their mission statement.

I can distinctly remember the day that I attended EMU for the Fast Track program. I was still a senior in High School and quite nervous to tour the university campus. I wanted the ability to attend an accredited university without having to leave the comforts of home. My parents and I arrived onto campus and I was struck at the diversity of students that filled the campus walkways, hallways and classrooms. I was raised in Detroit for 12 years, yet attended a parochial school in Dearborn, then moved to the suburb of garden City, where the majority of the community were middle-class, white families. My graduating class alone only encompassed three African-American kids, therefore limiting my exposure to diversity and the understanding of equality. I had toured a few other university campuses and had noticed the clique of stereotypes that were exhibited on the campus. Yet at Eastern, I felt the diversity. Men, women, young, old, white, black, Mexican, Arabic, straight, gay....the sky was the limit: literally. I was amazed, awed, intrigued and had my decision in the few seconds that I had stepped outside the car door. I hadn't quite found my identity in high school, but I felt a passion, desire and belonging at EMU.

Since that first day I stepped foot onto campus, EMU has continued to thrive in equality. I have friends that attend other colleges/universities and they complain of the lack of individuality. No one at Eastern can exert that same complaint. I love walking into a new class at the beginning of each semester, not hoping, but KNOWING that I will meet someone just as uniquely different as me, someone who has passion, desire and feels like they belong.

The day that I walk down the aisle in my commencement ceremony, I will proudly boast that I am a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, a university that is passionate of its students; believing, supporting and standing up for equality.

Just a "Click" Away......

While browsing online, I came across an article that sparked my interest:

"Suspect Killed, Officer Wounded In Robbery Try"

Sure the newspaper itself is dwindling in print, but online news sources are flourishing. Information regarding international, national, state, local news is available at the whim of a keystroke.

I was intrigued by the article due to the proximity to my home in Canton. Despite the fact that this is important information to me, it may not be to many others, therefore never receiving face time in a printed newspaper. BUT now I am not limited to relying on printed newspapers to receive information about my community. I can visit websites, blog forums and so much more. The ability to access information outside the world of the printed paper opens the door to the opportunity of the "citizen journalist", which I am quite an advocate for.

I appreciate the ability to utilize my "voice" where I want it heard opposed to hoping for an editor to publish a letter. I appreciate the opportunity to "speak out" what I stand for as opposed to fearing an editor will silence my words. I appreciate my RIGHT to be a journalist...how I desire, when I desire and most of all because I desire.

"Take A Stand"

Brent Cunningham posts an intriguing article, "Take a Stand" on Columbia Journalism Review, which explores the concept of the evolving journalist's role in the 21st century. Cunningham states that journalist need to not limit their writing to "breaking" news media, but return to the roots of "investigative" journalism.

Cunningham quotes Jack Newfield from the memoir:Somebody’s Gotta Tell It:

"Pick an issue. Study it. Make yourself an expert so you won’t make any stupid factual mistakes. Figure out who the decision makers you want to influence are. Name the guilty men. Make alliances with experts. Combine activism with the writing. Create a constituency for reform. And don’t stop till you have achieved some progress or positive results."

The article further supports the notion of the journalist taking a step further into the realm of journalism; report breaking news, but also explore what is important. Don't tell society what to think, but supply society with information to MAKE them think. Stir up passion in issues that are still unresolved:

"The mythology of the nation—exceptional, above the taint of history—has been undercut by a terror attack, two botched wars, the reality of torture, a flooded city, a wounded economy, staggering inequality, a shameful health-care system . . . the list is long. It has been undercut, too, by the emerging realities of the twenty-first century: a multipolar world, transglobal problems that no amount of debt-funded escapism can keep at bay, a realization that America must lead, but cannot dictate."

Journalists hide behind the facade of retaining objectivity and reporting in a non-offensive tone, yet why does this excuse important issues to simply go ignored? It is not a luxury to pick and choose what you want to write as a journalist, IT IS YOUR DUTY TO REPORT IMPORTANT ISSUES, EVENTS, OCCURRENCES THAT ARE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF SOCIETY.

It is time to step out and shine, time to uncover to the veil of selective journalism, TIME TO TAKE A STAND.