Week 4 - 'Citizen Journalism/Journalism as a Public conversation in the 21st Century'

This week in Journalism we ventured into a new avenue as we had a presentation on the seminar topic: Citizen journalism/ journalism as a public conversation in the 21st century. The presentation was sound and displayed clear evidence of a well researched topic.Excellent examples were drawn from local newspapers such as The Star, The Maitland Mercury and also examples such as the Newcastle floods (June 2007). There was the question raised about traditional journalists v public journalists and evidence of the news story structure and the inverted pyramid. It is important to note that journalists must retain connection with their public. Public opinion is valued and journalists define, represent and retain trust within the community. It is significant for journalists to understand public opinion. There is this essence of local journalists loosing all credibility and trust with the public. There was also an issue raised by one of the presenters about foreign news v local news and how local news is the voice to the community. Journalists can report on community issues but need to ultimately remain objective. Journalists develop their news agenda according to their audience. Martina and Andrew who are members of my seminar presentation group are conducting their oral reports based on this weeks seminar topic.

The set readings this week in the text book 'Journalism Theory In practice', clearly outline citizen journalism and journalism as this public conversation in the 21st century. The readings displayed a clear and accurate account and aided me in my understanding and knowledge of the topic at hand. Chapter 3 'A return practice: reclaiming journalism as a public conversation', by Michael Meadows portrays how journalism of the day reported directly on this public-sphere activity and, because of the limited nature of what then constituted 'the public', could be held directly accountable by readers.The transformation of journalism has linked journalists with their readers, listeners and viewers. Modern journalism forms tha of public opinion rather than reporting on it. With the emergence of modern journalism practices it developed and was seen as a 'fourth estate', like a watchdog relying on notions such as objectivity and professionalism. If journalism is viewed as a cultural practice, it enables us to think about how it might be reformed so that it may again be both of and for the public. I personally would like to add that i don't feel that many citizens of the public would want to get involved and add public opinion to stories, however in some circumstances i know this would be the case although i feel it is better left to the 'professional' journalist.

Schultz explains that in her study of Australian journalists it reveals the ideal of the fourth estate as it continues to be 'nurtured and cherished' by them - more in theory than in practice. If journalists were able to build a more demographic force that was meaningful it would reflect alliances with their audiences. Schultz argues the it is the fourth estate that has placed modern journalism in so much conflict with its audiences. By considering journalism as a cultural practice we can perhaps examine and re-examine its cultural role. Journalism plays a pivotal role in the strategic management of cultural goods. It is important to embrace journalism as it is a form of expression and a product of imagination. Journalists speak individually in journalism and the stories selected by journalists play a crucial role in giving rise to how society is imagined.There is much speculation derived from journalists and their role in the new age of information technology. Journalism is an influential cultural practice and it shapes experiences and helps form public consciousness. Journalists are intellectuals who express a set of values. It is evident however that due to modern journalism emerging there is little light of journalism and journalists regaining a credible place in the public imagination.

Chapter 11, 'Putting the public back into journalism', by Angela Romano and Cratis Hippocrates evokes the struggle of common people taking control of their lives and how that makes powerful news. It is interesting to note that journalists who work with political, police and other well-worn news are more commonly known to remain detached and keep at arm's length from their subjects, their sources, and their audiences, in the name of the objective, impartial reporting. Journalism as i believe is a very powerful medium, and new styles of journalism such as public journalism have challenged such attitudes in an attempt to respond to declining audience levels and increasing community alienation from old style news and traditional processes. Public disengagement with the media has consequences not only for media profitability but also for public participation.

Audiences are often only attracted to stories that reflect their worldview, and may only read, listen to , or watch part of nay given story.This is reflected in the inverted pyramid style of writing and structuring news stories. The structure simply places all the important information in the first few sentences of the story, assuming the reader has a slow attention span and will usually just skim the first few lines of a story anyway to get the general gist of the story. A journalist will make a valued judgment on events or problems that that they believe will be important to their audiences and then investigate them further.

Public journalism differs greatly from the usual standard approach to news by three major ways such as: working the public to drive the agenda of what is reported in the news, rather than allow the big wigs, business, bureaucracy, and politics unlimited control for the wheel. Secondly, it attempts to include the public in a discussion rather than merely thrown information at the audiences as it comes to hand and thirdly,it aims to assist the public in making decisions about significant community issues, and conveys those decisions to policymakers and society as a whole. New philosophers are discussing conversation and connectivity which allow people to find solutions through democratic participation. Such journalism describes audiences as citizens and participants rather than consumers.

Public journalism can be found in such things as, focus groups, qualitative and quantatative opinion polls, public forums, and other forms of surveys to enable community members to discuss what topics are important to them. Public journalism is directed to asking community members and other relevant stakeholders what potential solutions might be and public journalism recognises the expertise of ordinary people as news sources. This form of public journalism allows the public to follow the current debates of the story without being experts in the field of the issue. Good public journalism displays stories that re enlivened by the opinions and life stories of a range of community members, tales of human struggle, failure, triumph, achievements and the list goes on.Bringing stories and expressed opinions of ordinary people in the public creates a new level and degree of limelight on journalism. With Australian initiative and Australian projects early steps can made to that of public journalism.There has been some criticism however, in regards to this new approach and how it does not suit commercial needs of news organisations,although will all that put aside public journalism techniques must be understood as experimental.

A major challenge and hurdle for public journalism has been to organise public journalism activities to suit the production routines of daily newspapers or to bend them to suit public journalism. Five key factors are outlined in the readings to a successful public journalism and they are:- Establishing the agenda, Dedicating the resources, Setting the timetable, Obtaining feedback and Analysing the activities and outcomes. The readings evoked a powerful overview of the set topic this week and enabled me to grasp a thorough understanding and shape my head around public journalism and its role in society.