Citizen Journalism: Cause and Effects

Korie Williams

Ottawa University

Professor Justin Henning

VISUAL-COMMUNICATION-COM-30563

April 21, 2024

 As a citizen, while it is not required to always report on certain issues, there are times

where citizens capture moments that others miss. Those moments where an entire film crew is

not there, and it is just people living a normal life and then something happens that disturbs that

normality. It has become second nature for some to whip out their phones and press record,

which can sometimes help when incidents occur and there is not any other footage.

Examples of citizen journalists come by the dozens. With some helping solve murders

and some just being a documentation of what just happened. Famously in 1963, President John

F. Kennedy would be taking a ride through downtown Dallas, Texas when the unthinkable would

happen. He was shot and killed in the Presidental motorcade. The assassination of President

Kennedy was recorded and has been analyzed for years and years. Abraham Zapruder is

remembered for capturing the moments JFK was killed on November 22, 1963 (Ogea, 2023). He

was not a news reporter, more so just a guy who was there to see the President in a once in a

lifetime moment. Instead with his home recorder he caught an American tragedy.

Zapruder is important to the history of citizen journalism. As his video he took has

become so important to American history. It also highlights the importance and responsibility of

a citizen journalist. “While we might be familiar with journalists ‘in the field,’ the reality is that

often journalists who have been dispatched to cover a story may not have the access or the levels

of trust to gain the information needed” (Kuntze, 2019). Citizens give the insight that a reporter

just does not have access to, leading to them having the responsibility to share the information

they may have. This can lead to citizens creating their “own news,” it opens a new discussion

that may not have been had otherwise.

With everything on the internet or news, you must do your own research. Not every

citizen journalist is going to be a credible source. Many times, citizen journalism becomes the
source of biased content, not always on purpose, but it allows room for it to happen, nonetheless.

Think about dangerous situations, who would you trust more; some guy on X or a non-biased

news reporter, reporting the facts? Many of us would opt for the latter option. While yes, citizen

journalists aren’t necessarily a terrible thing, they can become a hazard without the right training

on reporting a story.

The world is at our fingertips. In 5 minutes, X will send me a notification from CNN

Breaking News about some event going on. Taking in so much information at all times of the

day can be overwhelming, especially when everyone can weigh in on it. The digital age and

landscape make it to where there is never a time we are not up to date on current events. With so

much information, so many differing opinions, and citizen journalism, it can cause problems.

But, like any critical thinker, it is our own duty to research and create our own opinion and not

rely on a citizen journalist to give up the run-down on the newest event happening right now.
 References

Lewis, P. (2011). How mobile phones helped solve two murders. In TED.

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_lewis_how_mobile_phones_helped_solve_two_murders

Ogea, M. (2023, November 21). Citizen Journalism [Review of Citizen Journalism]. Study.com.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-citizen-journalism-definition-

examples.html#:~:text=Abraham%20Zapruder%20is%20remembered%20for,%2C%201

963%20in%20Dallas%2C%20Texas.

What are the responsibilities of citizen journalism? - WAN-IFRA. (2019, May 14). WAN-IFRA.

https://wan-ifra.org/2019/05/what-are-the-responsibilities-of-citizen-journalism/
Appendix