Discuss the Impact of Citizen Journalism on Media

Journalism has become democratised with the rise of online blogs, social media, and websites. Individuals who are not journalists by profession can now use platforms like YouTube, Instagram, blogs, or even some participatory news sites to compile, create, and distribute news content—a role previously limited exclusively to professional journalists. 

The consistent rise of citizen journalism may appear to be a challenge for some BA Journalism & Mass Communication graduates aiming for a career in the field.

However, the best BJMC colleges in Rajasthan, like Manipal University Jaipur, teach students about citizen journalism in a way that prepares them well for the contemporary media landscape that has to incorporate both professional and citizen journalism.

Catalyst for Citizen Journalism - The Internet

While citizen's participation in journalistic endeavours in the form of sources has always been prevalent, citizens playing the role of journalists themselves have surged in recent decades. The ubiquity of the internet is the leading cause of this upsurge.

Now that everyone has the power to reach millions or perhaps billions of people in the palm of their hands, they are using it to make their voices heard and call attention to local or even global news that may have otherwise been ignored or misrepresented by traditional media.

Unsurprisingly, the rise of citizen journalism has profoundly impacted the media. This blog will explore the challenges and opportunities presented by citizen journalism for media and how the top BJMC Colleges in Rajasthan prepare their students for its rise, leveraging it for richer and more in-depth journalism.

Challenges Presented by Citizen Journalism For Media

There has been much talk regarding citizen journalism's veracity and value. Their lack of professional training and oversight has led many to decry the very idea of citizen journalism.

However, Gen Z's preference for gathering news from non-traditional sources like citizen journalism and new media has been proven time and time again.

Think With Google, an excellent source for market insight, has shed some light on the new consumption patterns of the new generation—Gen Z. It claims that the majority of Gen Z derive their news from YouTube, Google, and Meta rather than traditional media. This trend has been witnessed globally, with social media rising as a prominent news source for younger generations.

BA Journalism & Mass Communication students must confront this new reality in order to succeed in the new and altered media industry.

Social Media is flooded with citizen journalism that may even include first-hand accounts of events that traditional media may not have access to due to geographical barriers or state-imposed censorship. Citizen journalism on personal or local news lends a certain authenticity to it that conventional media usually does not have.

Moreover, new generations, like Millennials and Gen Z, are digital natives, making information from new media, especially social media, more easily accessible than traditional media. This trend will only intensify, making new media and citizen journalism expertise necessary for BA Journalism & Mass Communication students.

All these factors may lead one to believe that citizen journalism is a threat to traditional media. However, this is decidedly not the case.

Leveraging New Media and Citizen Journalism

The past few years have shown us the unique value that citizen journalism brings to the table. They have proved that traditional media like newspapers and print media should integrate this rich source of information into their work instead of seeing it as competition.

Citizen journalism is most often found on social media, blogs, and new media, making it an important source of information for journalists in the digital age.

This is why BJMC Colleges in Jaipur, like Manipal University, have included numerous BA JMC Courses and topics on new media in their curriculum, including-

• Writing for New Media
• Prominent New Media Ventures
• Analysing New Media Content
• Types of New Media Writing: Factual, Narrative & Projective
• New Media Writing and Contemporary Concerns

Manipal University also integrates every aspect of creating content for new media, including-

• Writing Blogs
• Journalist Blogs
• Citizen Journalism
• Writing Tweets
• Analysis of FB Posts

Opportunities Presented by Citizen Journalism For Media

The indispensability of media embracing citizen journalism is evidenced in this quote by Huffington Post founder Ariana Huffington-

"Moving forward, investigative journalists need to train themselves to be media amphibians - just as comfortable with the classic varieties of great journalism as they are with video, Twitter, Facebook, and, most importantly, citizen journalism."

No industry can escape the profound changes brought about by the digital revolution. While traditional media has embraced some of these changes by launching official websites and creating their own social media accounts, they will inevitably have to add citizen journalism to that list.

Many have already led the way; for instance, CNN's iReport is an incredibly successful citizen journalism initiative. Indian media platforms should follow suit to benefit from citizen contributions. This not only engages the target audience—the public—but also enriches journalism through personal and hyper-local reporting from citizens.

BJMC Colleges Embracing Citizen Journalism

To adapt to and even lead this change in media, the best BJMC Colleges in Jaipur, like Manipal University Jaipur, have already begun preparing their students for the changed media landscape with curriculums that prioritise boosting BA Journalism & Mass Communication students' employability in the digital landscape.

As part of its BA JMC course, Manipal University Jaipur covers themes like citizen journalism and its role in the age of mobile media.

Studying citizen journalism in a formal setting like the top BJMC colleges in Rajasthan inculcates an in-depth understanding of the field. It trains BA Journalism & Mass Communication students to not only understand but leverage citizen journalism to expand the horizons of traditional media.

Conclusion

Citizen Journalism may appear as a threat to traditional media at first glance, but it is actually an incredible resource for journalists. The top BJMC Colleges in Jaipur, like Manipal University Jaipur, have seized the opportunities presented by citizen journalism and new media to enhance media instead of seeing it as a threat. BA Journalism & Mass Communication students at these colleges will graduate armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to the dynamic media industry.