This 15 minute documentary produced by the Cambrige Community Television is the result of their 3 month documentary production course. In it, various leaders citizen journalists who have created their own websites as well as academic scholars from Harvard University and members of the CCT are interviewed to offer their perspectives on citizen journalism. the medium through which citizen journalism is being exercised is new but the documentary puts into perspective how actual citizen journalism is nothing new, citing Tom Payne's 18th century pamphlet "Common Sense." The layman's struggle to have their voice heard after been refused access to the mainstream market is nothing new.

In the beginning sequence we see a computer screen and hear commentary on citizen journalism from different unknown people. One of those voices says that a citizen journalist was recently arrested which suggests that very real world and dire consequences are being imposed on people who are not necessarily protected by journalistic rights but who are perhaps persecuted and judged by a heavier hand than traditional journalists. Citizen journalism takes on a guerrilla aspect in this film, returning the power to the people and allowing them to reflect on what's happening to them rather than being acted upon, and refocusing citizen journalism from part of the media machine to part of the academic world where blogs act as tools of education.

In this documentary citizen journalism is discussed in a way that does not atempt to compare it to mainstream journalism, the bloggers should not offer unbiased commentary like we expect mainstream media to do, instead it is their duty to "stand on a soap box" and counteract the industry machine. Citizen Journalism is part of a revolutionary movement that struggles to put the power of the people back in their own hands but is this really journalism or a merely  sensational tool of empowerment for the public? Can it be both?

Moore, Marc. "The Travails of Citizen Journalism. PoliGazette. 19 April 2009

This blog haphazardly covers a number of issues surrounding blogging. The writer, Marc Moore, discusses his laborous efforts in covering the Houston Tea Party, held 4/19/09. He goes into detail what he recorded and how he recorded it, describing his phone and digital camera models. Moore endured the difficult task of managing his various devices, digital camera, "multimedia-capable phone", and a pen and pad. He describes maneuvering all of his "equipment" to capture still images, video and notes of the event, not to mention his communication with editor while covering the event. Moore decides to give credit where it is due. He applauds those who have been able to successfully accomplish citizen-field journalism and attesting to the advantages that "professionals" possess in their equipment and support teams. Towards the end of his post though, Moore says that he worries the "integrity" the public associates with professional journalists may be lost in citizen journalism but then counters his point by denouncing CNN and MSNBC's "shameful" coverage.

How appropriate to sight a blog article while discussing the role and validity of blogging in the newsworld. I believe this blog serves as a perfect introduction to many of the issues I'd like to address in my paper. The popularity, through readership and quantity, of citizen journalism/news blogs is undeniable. Moore account of the "tools" he possessed to enable him the role of "field journalist" even if only for this event speaks volumes to how technology is making this form of communication easier. I'd like to use his account as a introduction to discussing the how and why of citizen journalism. Part of the how is through answered with technology, which Moore makes perfect example of through his description of phone and camera. The layman's ability to create quality products (video, image, and audio) through use of their cell phones and digital cameras is absolutley key to citizen journalism, although skill is still required to be a good citizen journalist. Moore makes example of this in opening the blog by expressing his "new respect for field journalism when practiced well." Although Moore credits the professionals to having a "one up" with their equipment, his very blog entry (which links to his coverage amongst other things) accounts for the citizen's ablity to do the same job.

As for the why of citizen journalism, Moore complaint of a trusted and professional network's coverage, is a true testament to the sentiments of many citizens (not just in the USA) about formerly trusted network. Moore addresses the heat CNN's Susan Roesgen took for biased reporting. So although he admits that professionals are perhaps technologically more capable of news reporting, he also lends opinion to why the citizen journalist was created; our former trusted news sources created the amateur journalist and gave rise to blogging.

Shirky's book discusses the rise of amateurism, covering everything from collective thought and publishing (i.e. Wikepedia) to the ways in which digital technology (i.e. phone and email) has transposed itself into real world law and interactions. In his chapter, "Everyone is a Media Outlet"  Shirky discusses the definition of professionalism and how it relates to certain professions. His argument is that the internet has upset the very foundation of certain professions (i.e. photography, journailsm). By definition, professionals do not exist in mass. Not everyone is a professional photographer just because they take a picture, just like not everyone is  journalist because they convey information to the public, even if it is newsworthy information. That technology and the internet has provided a platform for the world to access is undeniable but the ways in which the world is now able to access this information (i.e. news blogs, photosharing websites) threatens to revolutionize certain professional systems.

Shirky's chapter is imperative to any discussion of citizen journalism because he differentiates between professionals and non-professionals who perform professional acts such as the blogger who is dedicated to providing the public with accurate newsworthy information but holds no credentials and is not recognized in the journalistic profession. Professionals, in any field, are identified as such not just through the work that they create but through their training, through their peers and through their scarcity. Shirky reframes and takes a step back from the ethical arguments over the responsibilities of citizen journalists to an argument about whether or not they are professionals in the first place and what implications the answer to that question makes. This would seem an insignificant question, but in fact it helps sort through a host of issues. The definition of a professional renders citizen journalists as unprofessional because professionals do not exist in mass, which begs the question of whether or not the citizen journalist can be afforded certain journalistic privileges. 

What's more is that the internet has now given the citizen the ability to determine what is newsworthy, to give face to issues that may have previously been ignored by professionals due to financial or editorial restrictions or bring under-the-radar events or public opinion to the forefront, or rather front page of print.

The purpose of this project is to analyze the recent phenomenon of citizen journalism. The internet has created a new platform for the creation and distribution of information. The layman or amateur is now able to perform professional functions through news websites, blogs, photo sharing sites, etc. Newsworthy material is no longer guarded by a select few people who the general public must depend on to remain informed. With this new power that the layman has yielded comes responsibility though... or does it? Should the layman be held accountable by the same standards as a traditional journalist, if they are in fact performing the same function? Furthermore, is it really possible for an amateur to perform the same function as a professional? This is to say much of what makes a professional is based on the technology they have access to, a journalist is not simply a journalist simply because he writes or even because he has studied journalism but because he is a part of a recognized industry. Other issues surrounding the move of traditional print news sources move to the internet are to be discussed. What threat do citizen journalists pose to traditional papers' websites? Can anyone really compete with the Washington Post or the New York Times? Perhaps most importantly the question of why citizen journalism became so popular will be addressed. I hypothesize that technology has a great deal to do with it. People create blogs and offer their opinion to the digitally connected world simply because they are now able to. High quality camera phones and digital cameras allow us to interact in a way and with an immediacy that was never possible before, so why not indulge. But, beyond egotistical motivations I think cross media market monopolies must be held accountable. The homogenization of news material, amongst other things, has forced the "amateur" to take news gathering into his own hands. With the help of the FCC and deregulation, media conglomerates are now able to own mostly all of the venues of information for entire markets. Television stations, radio stations (i.e. Clear Channel) and newspapers are all owned by the same company in some markets, which begs the question what is being fed to the public? If we depend on these limited resources to inform an ever growing populace, everything from what the local weather will be like to how we will vote for the future of our country, then a lack of diverse opinions threatens democracy. I this very homogenization is part of the reason that the citizen has taken things into his own hands to become an autonomous news source.