New energy for citizen journalists
September 25th, 2007If your organization still believes that the only way to reach mass audiences is through traditional, mainstream media, then think again. Citizen journalists - those scrappy individualists who contribute articles, camera phone pictures, and new ideas to their community - are more than a trend. They are an evolution of the media landscape.
And just to bring home the point, the Knight News Challenge is offering $5 million dollars “for innovative ideas using digital experiments to transform community news.”
“The Foundation plans to invest at least $25 million over five years in the search for bold community news experiments.”
Has anyone handed your local newspaper $25 million to experiment with journalism in your community? I didn’t think so.
Citizen Journalists. Professional firms, political campaigns, and non-profits had best get to know them.
When it comes to the traditional news media it would be more than appropriate if they did some serious housecleaning. Terminate the employment of those who are not doing their jobs accordingly. By this I mean reporting actual fact and truth instead of what they report. Then eliminate the tenure many members of the traditional news media. If an employee in almost any other industry did what those in the news media do on a regular basis they would be fired without exception. Hold the members of the news media accountable and responsible for what they write and publish. Learn to respect others. Members of the news media often use their positions as bully pulpits to advance a partisan political agenda. By doing so they are not showing respect towards others. Require members of the news media learn some manners. Watch your mouth. The use of profanity in the news media does not impress. ‘
The list of what must be done is almost endless, so I stop here.
Thank you for your time.