Hi my name is Nina and I look after a citizen journalism project called Your Story at the BBC World Service. This is a place where you can send in your video, photos and audio – we work with ordinary people who are perhaps already citizen journalists with their own blogs or maybe shooting video or uploading photos and get these story ideas on air.
This month, Steven Lange who has been blogging from inside a US prison here is his blog - He has recorded an audio diary for us detailing his experiences as a gay HIV positive man on a 10 year sentence. See it here.
Continuing on a prison theme, Jamaican Prison Radio is recording a half hour discussion with four inmates for Your Story on crime. It will be streaming live at 4pm GMT today if you want to tune in.
Coming up for broadcast next week, we’ve been working with Afghan blogger Baktash after he met the teenager who was sprayed with acid on her way to school.
It would be great if you become part of the Your Story community via the Your Story blog.
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Can I get free BBC advertising for my blog?
Some of the greatest stories come from people who have nothing to do with the media.
I am at work, but will check out those sources when I get home.
Yet, there are questions:
with the rise in citizen unpaid journalists, does it have an effect on the average paid journalist?
Usually a media source validates the journalists’ work, so what keeps our citizen journalists from embellishment, manipulating, etc?
Has there ever been a “citizen journalist,” who has been hired by a media source for their outstanding work and not based on their degree/etc?
Do you feel that citizen journalists are more prone to be objective since they are not working for a possibly biased media source?
I wish i could listen to the programme, but–i am not able to do so…
As I see it, there are two distinct sides to your concept of “citizen journalists”.
The first would be the people who are in the “right place at the right time” and use a mobile phone or camera to record some news-worth event–a bomb blast, plane crash, assassination attempt or whatever. This is a highly valid use of technology and has, in the past, resulted in some often stunning, often shocking images.
The other side of this–and the one that seems to be emphasised here–are people who blog and/or video some aspect of their own life or situation. This can be interesting and can be valid–but, with respect, I would categorise this as an “op-ed” strand rather than true reporting. By definition, the people doing this are involved in the issues they cover–and feel strongly enough about them to take the trouble to report them. Jamily asks if “citizen journalists” will be less biased than conventional media. Highly unlikely for the reasons I’ve already given.
I’m afraid I see this as an interesting side-line…but please don’t use this as an excuse to replace professional (and largly unbiased!) reporters.
Hi, World Have Your Say:
I was going to the link in Anakor Chigozie Jeremiah post at 6 December 2008 @ 3.57pm…
I think you should have a look at it, since—It doesn’t go to any blog…
Could you update us…
To Will Rhodes – Working with citizen journalists on Your Story was I thought, of cross over interest to the world have your say community in terms of getting involved in the BBC world service news agenda. I know that I came across as an advertising press release – sorry about that, but just thought that some of you guys would be interested as it’s another step in how we are involving listeners. And i think I come across less like an advert on my own blog! Nina
http://worldserviceyourstory.wordpress.com/
I have answered the other comments to your questions about citizen journalism on the Your Story blog. http://worldserviceyourstory.wordpress.com/
http://www.thoughtsfromrva.wordpress.com is my blog
Not sure where you get the unbiased reporters, Bob. Do you mean TV? Taking the cue in the UK, the Daily Mail and Express are as biased as biased can be. The Times leans right, and lets you know it does.
What I do find is that most media/press is centre-right to right-wing. There are a few Liberal, left, but very few in comparison. In the US with the deregulation of what can be said on TV (Reagan brought that one about) with example of FoxNews – the bias is beyond blatant.
Bloggers have come under attack in the UK (Hazel Blears), she says that Blogger don’t give the correct information and should be shunned.
http://willrhodesportmanteau.com/2008/11/22/at-what-age-should-a-inept-politician-be-retired/
From what I see around the world the camps of left/middle/right are all full in the blogosphere and all are getting their voices out there, that, to me, is citizen Journalism.
Here are the November circulation figures for the UK newspapers:
The Sun 3,045,899
Daily Mail 2,193,715
Daily Mirror 1,400,206
Daily Telegraph 835,497
Daily Express 752,181
Daily Star 714,192
The Times 621,831
Financial Times 448,523
Daily Record 361,857
The Guardian 358,379
The Independent 201,113
The Daily Mirror is a left-wing tabloid, the Guardian and the Independent are leftist non-tabloids.
Notice how The Times sells more than the Guardian and the Indie put together.
Remember that people are free to choose their own paper – but are forced to pay for the BBC even if they don’t watch it.
What a great idea working behind this project, Keep it up. Wish u all the best.