Web 2.0 allows consumers to communicate, consume and inform. This is extremely prevalent within citizen journalism, and now with the existence of certain websites such as Global Online Voices and through blogs, more possibilities to be active participants are available.
The core principle behind citizen journalism is to allow people to document issues which are of importance of them in an enviroment where others can view their work. Citizen journalism occurs primarily online through blogs, stand-alone citizen journalism sites and WikiNews. Often, issues addressed through citizen journalism are those which are overlooked by mass media, or given a skewed representation. These niche markets include current topics such as alternatvie movies and music, sub-cultures, technological advances and most popularly politics.
However, mainstream media is starting to realise the importance and influential properties which citizen journalism holds. MSNBC, Associated Press and CNN each have a related citizen journalism website.
Richard Sanbrook, Director of BBC's Global News Division states:
"... when major events occur, the public can offer us as much new information as we are able to broadcast to them. From now on news coverage is a partnership."
Evident with the tragic Virginia Tech shootings, footage taken on a students mobile phone quickly adorned headlines of CNN, an example of the relationship forming between civic and citizen journalists.
Citizen journalism is a clear example of fluid heterarchy, ad hoc meritocracy; a fundamental principle of produsage (Bruns, 2008, 79). "The community governs itself through a constant process of mutual evaluation through peer commentary and criticism," (Bruns, 2008, 79). This, along with the other fundamental principles of produsage are mentioned in my previous blog, How is open source different from commercial production.
With the shift towards user-generated content, citizen journalism gives people the ability to influence traditional mass media.
