What is the role of the citizen in 21st Century Journalism?

The role of the citizen does not simply stop at the traditional role - the receiver of news. Rather, the new age of Information Technology has vastly altered the face of journalistic practices, extending to common people like you and I, to become journalists our own way. This is referred as 'Citizen Journalism'. As society becomes more resourceful and intelligence (due to rising literacy rate and e-literacy), computers and the Internet can easily become the pen and paper for a writer. A citizen's role becomes enhanced, with the ability to produce news, not only possessing the right to know but the right to compose.

Contemporary, the rise of alternative media alongside with mainstream media platforms in its rightful place, can be largely attributed to the disconnection between journalists and citizens. This separation can be traced all the way back into the 19th century period when printing presses were invented. Newspapers, pamphlets and posters were printed by common people to disseminate information to their neighbours, townsfolk, mostly everyone in the city or within reach. There were no artisans of printing nor ethics - it wasn't a profession, everyone could print whatever they wanted.

Today, journalists remain stoic about their stand regarding codes of ethics, forming an independent occupation with professionalism like doctors, lawyers and engineers. Because of this, the media claims to be the '4th estate' - a watchdog group to keep check of the government and powerful organisations, holding them accountable to the public and citizens.

But are we overlooking something?

Media conglomerates controls the flow of information to the public. Fox, CNN, NBC, CBS are a few major players to name in the news corporations dominating American news. While it is not strange some of these media conglomerates have satellites to transmit news globally, they in turn create American values as hegemony through news.

Since the 21st Century, mainstream journalism has come under fire, sparked off by the World Trade Organisation protests in Seattle. TV programmes and newspapers coverage consisted of sensationalised 'violence' in its front pages and prime time news. In effect, violence was splashed all over mainstream media but no reasons were given to justify what actually happened. It was then people started blogging and providing alternative source of news to the citizens.

Citizen journalism cannot be the answer to the failings of mainstream media. As long as it does not replace the conventional role of media, citizen journalism will only serve as an additional source of information for citizens.

The role of the citizen in the 21st century is no longer the meek and the receiver of news traditionally. With a touch of the keyboard be it on a cellphone or computer, a citizen can deliver news, anywhere, at any time.

Who will pay for journalism? Is it just about money?

In the first round of seminars, it was primarily about the sustainability of journalism - money and revenue for news reporting. A comparison was made between NewsCorp. and Mediacorp, analysing the annual revenue and newspaper circulation. At the end, the audience was reminded that journalism in essence has a cause to fulfill people's right to know but ultimately is still constrained by monetary terms, just like any other profession out there in the world.

It is without a doubt that journalism in this day and age is losing money and revenue than before. Taking into consideration there will be a minority that does not subscribe to any form of mainstream media publications like magazines and newspapers and rely solely on a new generation of online media platforms - blogs and online news websites. News online in essence is free of charge, it strikes the common people - why pay a dollar or more for a newspaper? Social media and alternative media has disrupted journalism's profitability and thereby affecting its existence in the future.

So ultimately, who will pay for journalism?

Personally, I feel that the pros and cons of private and public journalism can be merged and co-exist to sustain journalism. Take Australia for example, the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) is doing well to maintain transparency, media independence from organisations or government (despite being government funded) and still maintains a high freedom of press. The model works, taxpayers money are pooled into national media but yet does not promote any form of propagandistic works or being a mouthpiece of the government or any influential organisations. Journalism is certainly not just about money, media conglomerates are losing revenue and profits over the years, merely shrinking their business model but chose to pit their horns against economic odds. But why? Simply put, journalism will never die off as more people choose to read what they want, journalists and editors have to provide and cater to a wider scope of audiences and readers in order to keep the money rolling for journalism to sustain.

For 200 years, journalism has come forth to a stand still in profits. Media companies need to rethink their strategy to further integrate online platforms to serve as contributory roles to their mainstream counter parts - to attract more readers and audiences to pick up mainstream media again. To create a more lucrative reading/viewing experience for a large mass of audience. By increasing the number of pages on a newspaper is simply not enough, it definitely has to provide more quality over quantity to win back the hearts and minds of the people.