The more I think about it, the more I see the future as being driven by citizen journalists, the news of on-the-ground local citizens taking precedent over the ‘professional’ journalism which has been the vanguard of all news since the dawn of the media age.
The structure of technology has changed, become more social and more “share-able” and this has made the dissemination of media far easier and quicker than any major news organisation could ever hope to accomplish with correspondents and all the logistics which go with it.
I’m sure journalists will have their place but I think their role will be much eroded in the coming age. I have no doubt of that, in fact it has already begun where bloggers and citizen news sources are becoming the norm in terms of reporting and gaining media footage. Professional journalists using citizen media for their news stories simply because there is no other footage or access to material covering that particular bit of news.
The only flaw in the plan lies in the question of ‘Access’. Not everyone can afford the modern miracle of simple communication technologies, let alone having any training of using a computer much less using and gaining access to the internet. There are MANY endeavours to close this gap but we are still a long way away from it being anywhere near acceptable levels.
Then there’s the question of priorities. Yes, the news should be reported and people on the ground should have all the resources available to them to make them a part of our global community. But, most of these people are having trouble getting basics like food, water and shelter. Here’s where correspondents will serve a greater purpose of reporting the situation in those areas.
This does, however, open up a bigger opportunity for charity organisations and NGO’s to begin fully utilising Digital Media in order to not only help the people on the ground but to spread information and knowledge world-wide. The platforms are there.
Citizen Media may be the home of the amateur writer, photographer, cameraman but information is information… and a badly taken photograph or video is much better than none at all. People are everywhere, news organisations are not. This us why citizen Media is the future and will most likely make up at least 80% of content from news organisations in the future.
I say this from the current context of cost-cutting by these news organisations (and many corporations in general) as well the rise in citizen journalists who do not ask for anything in reward, only satisfying the impulse to share and have their voices heard.
ABSOLUT has this really interesting campaign (I think so) in which we see this parallel universe where the cash is kindness. Can you imagine buying food at a restaurant and hugging the entire staff as payment, or how about kissing the cashier when buying movie tickets. hmph.
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