I’m not a big fan (though have wavered at times) of citizen journalists. With a major in journalism and my early career in newspaper journalism, I’m skeptical, and fear for the lack of set standards and guidelines.
That said, there is a very interesting story on blogs and CJs from CNET’s Australian operations.
In referring to CJs (referred to as “outsiders”):
They don’t have qualifications. They often don’t have all the facts. What they do have is perspective. They aren’t disproportionately swayed by the events of the things they discuss. An outsider often points out simple contradictions that insiders can’t see or perhaps can see but defend irrationally. On the other hand, outsiders can also be barking lunatics.
The entire story is a good comparison of the “outsiders vs. insiders” of journalism.
Then there’s today’s Wall Street Journal article (subscription required) — courtesy of Editor’s Weblog (links to exerpt; no subscription required). The “Baltimore Examiner” — or X — is a new free newspaper competing against the “Balitmore Sun.”
One of the two big takeaways is the “big charade” of how newspapers really make their money:
“What I think is interesting about this economic model is its concession that newspapers are really about the advertising stream anyway,” [Dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland] Mr. [Thomas] Kunkel says. The little-known secret of most papers, he says, is that income generated by selling the paper barely covers the costs of attracting and keeping readers. “So what the freebies are saying is ‘Heck, let’s stop the charade.’ “
The other key point reflects how the Internet has changed our reading habits and expectations:
As more people, especially younger ones, get their news free from the Internet, they are less inclined to equate free news with “cheap” or “insufficient,” says Mr. Kunkel, the Maryland dean. “The audience cares not a whit whether they’re paying for it or not,” he says. “They read it if it’s good and don’t if it’s not.” And if readers truly begin caring less if their news is free or not, that may also break down the traditional resistance of advertisers to free publications.
But, back to citizen journalism for a minute and why I don’t think a concerted, coordinated effort will work:
> Lack of set guidelines and accepted standards.
> Lack of dependability (primarily because the citizens will have “day jobs”).
> Lack of a reliable, regular pool of CJs, or a large enough pool to pull from so you don’t need regular contributors.
> Lack of financial incentive (i.e., payment for stories) for people to be CJs on a regular basis.
Now, I just need the rest of the newspaper industry to follow the Examiner’s lead, and let me simply get the “Toledo Blade,” “Wall Street Journal,” “New York Times” and “Chicago Tribune” by request.
Or, at least let me access their online versions and archives free of charge.
– Mike
Technorati tags: citizen journalism, journalism, newspaper business
