Submitted by RonRoss on Fri, 08/27/2010 - 18:53
A recent edition of Editor and Publisher, the oldest journal covering the newspaper industry, reported on a study by the University of Missouri School of Journalism that found that the number of citizen journalists is insufficient to meet the needs of shrinking newsrooms. Here is the lead paragraph of the story:
Citizen journalism isn’t stepping up sufficiently to fill the “information shortfall” caused by cutbacks in the newsrooms of newspapers and other traditional news organizations, a University of Missouri School of Journalism study finds.
Submitted by RonRoss on Thu, 08/19/2010 - 18:12
The headline above is a direct quote from the body of a Monday, Aug. 16, 2010, blog posting by Pixel Creative Group Inc. titled, What now? The headline is exciting for those who believe the future of journalism may rest in the hands of well-trained, well-motivated citizen journalists. However, the first half of the blog is a rather dour report on the increasing decrease of ad revenue for newspapers and other legacy media outlets.
Submitted by RonRoss on Sat, 08/14/2010 - 20:04
The author of the opinion piece is Malachi O'Doherty, who refers to himself as a "freelancing radio journalist." In a humorous, and I believe authentic way, he describes the relationship between bloggers and professional journalists.
A most interesting citizen journalist headline appeared in the Aug. 9, 2010, issue of the Belfast Telegraph (Ireland): "Citizen Journalism Will Never Stop the Presses." I had to read the article.
Submitted by RonRoss on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 21:26
The International Press Institute is holding a World Congress in Vienna and Bratislava on September 11-14, 2010. The title of their congress is "Thinking the Unthinkable: Are We Losing the News?" It appears to be yet another hand-wringing event where journalists talk to journalists about journalism.
Submitted by RonRoss on Wed, 07/28/2010 - 20:42
Journalism in the USA is a totally unregulated profession. It always has been and it should always be so, even when it fails miserably to do its job.
The dirty little secret about journalism is that you don’t need any special training to call yourself a journalist. You don’t need a license, you don’t need to join a union, and heck, you don’t even need a job or income to call yourself a journalist.
Submitted by RonRoss on Thu, 07/22/2010 - 16:37
Karla Santos of Asia Media Form filed a report on www.ipsnews.net on July 20, 2010 on how citizen journalists in the Philippines herald "a growing form of public participation in this country of 94 million people."
Submitted by RonRoss on Thu, 07/15/2010 - 16:44
Citizen journalists in New Jersey have an unprecedented opportunity to report news about their towns, according to the editor of www.freehold.injersey.com.
"The injersey.com website lists 14 communities where local news stories are published online and a few more are about to come online," said Editor Colleen Curry. "All of the editors actively solicit stories from citizen journalists."
Submitted by RonRoss on Fri, 07/09/2010 - 00:41
Local newspapers are hurting. Though still the major source of news and information for most communities, many locally published newspapers are losing audience and ad revenue. This means they must cut staff – usually reporters – just to stay alive.
This provides an aggressive citizen journalist with a significant opportunity. Local papers, large and small, are actively soliciting the help of citizen journalists – people just like you – to help them cover a variety of news events.
Submitted by RonRoss on Thu, 07/08/2010 - 01:14
Ron Ross
President Barack Obama told a meeting of students: "With iPods and iPads; Xboxes and PlayStations – none of which I know how to work – information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation. All of this is not only putting new pressures on you. It is putting new pressures on our country and on our democracy."
Submitted by RonRoss on Wed, 06/16/2010 - 20:18
When you write news, you’re supposed to provide your readers, viewers and listeners with useful and reliable information. Have you noticed that the information you get on television, in the newspapers and on websites is not always either useful or reliable? Some of it is biased, some incomplete and too much of it is just hot air.
Pages
Karen Hatter is The-Latest's America correspondent. A community activist and retired United States government employee, she has gained first-hand knowledge and experience of the concerns and challenges faced by Americans. She writes about a variety of social issues, providing depth, texture and an alternative, progressive perspective on current affairs. Karen has been a contributor to this site since 2008. 
Tola Ositelu has been a freelance writer and blogger for almost a decade. She’s interested in arts, culture and social commentary. Currently based at the EU in Brussels, she studied law and has a masters in sociocultural linguistics. Tola is a lifelong learner as well as a music, literature and travel enthusiast. She describes herself as a novice political activist.
Simone Mendez is a creative writing graduate currently living in Birmingham. She is a book lover and equally enjoys reading and writing poetry. Simone also gains a lot of satisfaction from writing about culture and current affairs. She hopes to produce her own plays in the future.
Donnacha DeLong is an online journalist and freelance writer. He has been a senior site editor of Amnesty International’s global website amnesty.org and played a key role in developing the organisation's use of social media for campaigning and reporting purposes. Donnacha is a past President of the National Union of Journalists and is a current member of the union’s National Executive Committee. 
Richard Lance Keeble, Professor of Journalism at Lincoln University and Visiting Professor at Liverpool Hope University, has written or edited 36 books. In 2011, he gained a National Teaching Fellowship, the highest award for UK teachers, and in 2014 was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association for Journalism Education. Richard jointly edits Ethical Space: The International Journal of Communication Ethics and writes on a range of subjects including war/peace, journalism and George Orwell.
Lara Platman is a journalist and photographer with a passion for all things eccentric, fast and theatrical. This includes dance, motor cars, country life and polo. Her work has featured in a variety of top publications. She is a regular columnist for The-Latest and has her own site photofeature.co.uk that showcases her creative output.
Thomas L. Blair is a sociologist and political blogger on the Chronicleworld 'for creative renewal in Black Britain and Afro-Europe'. His work is honoured in the British Library's archive of "social, historic and culturally significant web-based material from the UK domain". He won top prize in the blogging competition on The-Latest.
Sumantra Maitra is a freelance journalist from Mumbai, India. He is a correspondent for All Sports magazine, and a foreign affairs blogger for the Washington Examiner. He has written articles for news website Merinews.com and other regional publications. Sumantra runs a blog at DailyWorldWatch.wordpress.com. He provided exclusive eyewitness reports for The-Latest on the Mumbai bombings of 2008.
Brian Usher is photography consultant for The-Latest.Com. He is a highly experienced editorial and commercial photographer whose work has been published throughout the world, appearing in many well known magazines and newspapers. Brian has featured in several books and has been a writer for the Royal Photographic Society magazine.
Heidi Kingstone has spent time in Afghanistan reporting for a number of publications. Her work has appeared in the Financial Times, The Spectator, The Sunday Times and other international journals. She has also reported from places like Iraq, Rwanda, Lebanon, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya. Heidi is The-Latest's Editor at large.
Deborah Hobson is a freelance writer and Deputy Editor of The-Latest.Com. She specialises in human interest, celebrity and lifestyle features. Deborah has written scoops for The-Latest, using the Freedom of Information Act to uncover official secrets the public have a right to know about. She looks after contributors and if you would like to become one contact her: contribsed@the-latest.com
latest comments