Factors Contributing to Citizen Journalism Growth

Citizen Journalism
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Introduction
Traditionally, the process of collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating information as news has fallen on the professional journalist, either under private practice or commonly under a company. However, that has since changed and news companies are embracing a new trend in the new collection approach. This is with reference to the involvement of individuals outside the main stream media companies or institutions (Rogers, 2016). This is a concept that combines the roles of citizen and those of a journalist into one. Ideally, a citizen uses the tools that they have at their disposal to collect and disseminate information that they come across intentionally or otherwise. There is a civic duty tied to the journalism aspects, with many forms such as blogs, podcasts, videos, pictures audio and texts among others. With the advent of mobile technology, most of the people have a chance to take part in the revolution. In most of the cases this is a form of journalism that takes place online. While it gives the people a chance to report what they see and hear, it also comes with some disadvantages associated with authenticity among other challenges.
Journalism
Over the years, journalism has been tied to the media houses, where on one side are the journalists and on the other the audience. As such, much of the work involved has been in reference to journalists collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating the news items that they have collected over the different within the society, locally and globally. This is however slowly changing, as part of the audience is also taking the mantle to distribute the news on the available platforms online such as blogs, podcasts and posts on social media (Rogers, 2016).
Factors Contributing to Citizen Journalism Growth
Media Manipulation
There are a number of reasons that can be attributed to the growth of the citizen journalism. One of the main elements that can be attributed to the growth of the citizen journalism is the dwindling trust in the media houses. Over the years the media houses have been a tool for disseminating information to the public using the various platforms. As such, they have been a powerful tool driving various aspects of the society; from politics to general cultural shifts. As such, the media houses have become a powerful tool in the public domain driving various agendas. For most of the political bigwigs, this has become a platform to influence the masses. This relative to the fact that, they understand that the media is a platform that influences every other area of the society, even with simple aspects as diets and even dress codes in fashion. The media houses as well have fallen prey to manipulation by political and other elites in the society (Bulkley, 2012). Over time this has worked, however, a good majority of the population now understand and despise the fact that media houses are no longer liberal and independent. They broadcast what their owners and investors want, taking away some of the vital information that the public needs. This element of manipulating information available to public has caused most of the people in the citizen journalist dockets to take up the mantle and distribute information that they feel has been denied to the public. More importantly, people now want information that is truthful and devoid of the bureaucratic process of the media houses along with shunning away from propaganda and mediocre news. The people feel that they have the obligation as citizens to help the rest of the citizens gain credible information and news on the various events and developments in the society. This way, the public in informed and with quality information that they can use where needed. This is especially the case, where the citizens need to get information that they may use make decisions (Bulkley, 2012). Recent political news has been manipulative especially on the international policies in the United States. As such, most of the people have felt the need to uncover the news bytes that have been hidden away from the public by the mainstream media in the hope of manipulating the public opinions on various decisions taken by the government.
Personalized Approach
Citizen journalism is an approach that people can use to bring a personal touch to the stories that they bring to the people in their audience bracket. As such, most of the people that are using the platforms such as podcasts and blogs have the chance to tell the news from their person connections that they have with events in question. Journalists in this category have the chance to add the personal opinion to their pieces and influence the same kind of reactions that they intend with their views. Bogs for example offer some of the best platforms to give the audience an opinionated view of a development in the society political, social or otherwise (Bulkley, 2012). For example, a blogger has the chance to give an opinionated piece on the health reforms in the country based on the experiences that they have had and what most of the people in the readership can relate with. As such, citizen journalism has been growing as a reflection of the need for the people in the society to be heard. Other than the traditional approach where citizens have to listen, watch or read pieces that have been prepared by other journalists. They have the chance to make news about the developments in the society with reference to their experiences and reactions at a more personalized level. Peo...