The Relationship Between Citizen and Traditional Forms of Journalism. Is Citizen Journalism a Viable Substitute?

The relationship between citizen and traditional forms of journalism

Traditional journalism employs the services of professional journalist as doorkeepers who sort through the happenings around the globe, thus selecting what they discern as significant and report them to the viewers and listeners (Nip, 2012). Despite all the news being targeted at the public, the audiences play no part in news processing with the exception of sources from which traditional journalists collect information and views. However, individuals in high ranks, who bear significant titles such as government officials and top corporate leaders, them unlike those that they lead, have greater chances of becoming sources for news. If not, the journalists will have to carry out the full news processing, right from narrative idea generation, news assembling, to writing, to editing, to publishing, and exercise of professional news bulletin values for each instance (Nip, 2012).

Thus in this context, is evident that the print media was and is still a primary form of traditional journalism. Critically though, even when people are perceptive of transition from print media to new platforms of online editions, there is significant print news today but from a different angle. According to Kathleen McElroy, a scrutiny of audience comments published in prominent newspapers demonstrates how journalists profile online content before printing (McElroy, 2013). From her study, Kathleen established that many small newspapers true to form printed a larger proportion of comments.

Citizen journalism: On the other hand, Citizen Journalism is one in which people are in charge of content gathering, producing, and publication in different platforms. It is a model that does not involve professionals, however sometimes when professional journalists do citizen journalism; they do not do it for a pay as employees (Nip, 2012). Even so, citizen journalism can be by an individual, a group, or an NGO without paid subordinate...