Citizen Journalism – A Cynical Approach

Just now I was sitting in my girlfriend’s apartment when her roommate asked if there was any wrapping paper she could use. Since we’re both the type to give a present wrapped in a plastic bag from Food Lion, she regrettably told her that no, there was no wrapping paper.

At which point, I suggested “what about a newspaper?”

The roommate replied: “What newspaper?”

“The Pendulum… right there…”

“Oh… well I would want to wrap it in a cute newspaper…”

There you have it folks – the downfall of the newspaper industry – just not cute enough.

That, and the Internet I guess. As anyone who heard the first radio news broadcast (about 90 years ago, history buffs) will tell you, the newspaper is totally dying guys! Well this time, they really mean it.

Just read The State of the News Media 2010: “Newspapers, including online, saw ad revenue fall 26% during the year, which brings the total loss over the last three years to 41%.” To clarify this, imagine you are the Newspaper Industry. You are now missing your left arm and leg.

More than ever, America is the home of the “free.” We don’t want to pay for news, we feel entitled to know it. So the traditional forms of news media, when people did not have free or even ad-less alternatives, is scraping to find revenue. Things that cost money: paper, radio and TV airspace, journalism school. Things that are free: blogs, self-important opinions. Welcome to the era of citizen journalism.

The Internet has formed the perfect marriage: those who don’t like to pay for things, and those who like yell their opinions to anyone who will listen. The State of the News Media 2010 is right: the notion that the news media are shrinking is mistaken. The news media is growing more than ever, except the definition of news media has changed. Instead of “well-trained ethical and objective professional journalists,” we now have “anybody.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against blowhards with blogs. They are an important component of the freedoms allowed by the first amendment. But when “citizen journalism” is enabling the death of “actual journalism,” therein lies the problem. When credible news reporting is on the decline, and subjective unprofessional reporting is on the rise, the integrity of the fourth estate begin to collapse. Woodward and Bernstein took down a president. Bloggers took down Britney Spears.

Have you watched The Wire? You should. The 5th and final season is all about media and media consumption. David Simon, the creator, says:

“I am offended to think that anyone, anywhere believes American institutions as insulated, self-preserving and self-justifying as police departments, school systems, legislatures and chief executives can be held to gathered facts by amateurs pursuing the task without compensation, training or for that matter, sufficient standing to make public officials even care to whom it is they are lying to.”

Exactly. Note that last part too: “whom it is they are lying to.”

The State of the News Media 2010 also found that “Technology is further shifting power to news-makers, and the newest way is through their ability control the initial accounts of events” Considering this within the context of Simon’s remark, public officials are making their own news. PR specialists, people who do get paid, are the people responsible for creating entire stories regarding their clients. These news stories are then increasingly analyzed by citizen journalists, those who don’t get paid. In a world where money and power are everything, citizen journalists just don’t have the ability to hold the system in check the way professional journalists do.

And my girlfriend’s roommate? Well, let’s just say she didn’t wrap her present in an old blog.

Tags: citizen journalism, response