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The Free Press Corporate Press Citizen Press

The document discusses the evolution of journalism from the free press to the corporate press to citizen journalism enabled by new technologies. It explores how citizen journalism has changed news reporting by allowing anyone to share information online without gatekeepers. While this increases free speech, it can also create echo chambers where people only expose themselves to like-minded views. The document presents debates around whether new media forces the press to consider the public interest more or makes audiences more aware of different perspectives.

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119 views

The Free Press Corporate Press Citizen Press

The document discusses the evolution of journalism from the free press to the corporate press to citizen journalism enabled by new technologies. It explores how citizen journalism has changed news reporting by allowing anyone to share information online without gatekeepers. While this increases free speech, it can also create echo chambers where people only expose themselves to like-minded views. The document presents debates around whether new media forces the press to consider the public interest more or makes audiences more aware of different perspectives.

Uploaded by

MEDIA AT CHFS
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Free Press 2.

0
– Citizen Journalism
The Free Press Corporate Press Citizen Press

Lesson Aims:
• Explore how Web 2.0 technologies have changed how information is shared and
news is reported.

• Understand the opportunities of Citizen Journalism

• Research examples and prepare for an timed essay question on what we have
learned so far.
Stages of Journalism
The Free Press Defined By:
• Promoting Free Speech – The right to speak out and publish on
important issues, even those the government or those in power may
object to.

• Serving the Public Interest – What citizens need to know to


contribute effectively to a democracy.

Limited by:
• Gatekeeping – No matter how good a journalist’s ethics are stories
can get changed through selection of key information by news
gatherers and publishers.

Defined By:
• The Corporate Interest – News Values (the importance of one
Corporate Press
story over another) is driven not by the public interest but by
whatever will sell the most. Evolution of a number of questionable
practices:
– Press Release Journalism
– Chequebook Journalism
– Personal/Political Bias
– Moral Panics
Limited by:
• Regulation – The Press is regulated by itself through the Press
Complaints Commission and by Statutory Regulations
Libel/Defamation/Privacy Laws.
Citizen Journalism
News reported, shared, copied, commented on by citizens
throughout a society without a central institution.
How is this phenomenon How does it affect We Media
fuelled by technologies such concepts like?
as? • Free Speech
• Blogging • The Public Interest
• Social Networking • Oligopolies
• Mobile Phone Cameras • The Corporate Interest
• Twitter • Press Regulation
• File Sharing • Press Release Journalism
• Video Streaming • Political Bias
• Forums • Moral Panics
• Chequebook Journalism
• Hegemonies
• Egalitarianism
Citizen Journalism
Is an EMERGENT system. No one
plans it out from the top but it
evolves from the actions of all the
people working as Citizen
Journalists. From the bottom up.
This means that Citizen
Journalism:

• Offers freedom for its users


• It is very hard to regulate how it is
used and by who.

THREE EXAMPLES:

Many People Act on their own, systems emerge


Positives: Negatives?:
• Allows freedom of speech for all A few more examples:
those who can connect online. (25% of
the planet and rising)
• Allows information to be distributed
that normally wouldn’t because of:
• Government censorship
• Press Exclusion
• Against Corporate Interest (No
monetary value/negative for
corporation)
• Allows citizens to form networks of like
minded people and have a greater
ability to make change
• Allows anyone to share important
news.
Media Echo Chamber
• A major criticism of blogs and
other we media technologies.

• People only connect, read and


listen to those who think the same
way.

• Instead of using technologies to


explore alternative ideologies
users tend to use those that agree
with them. Those that they identify
with.

• Can actually result in people being


more closed off to alternative
ideas.
Positives: Negatives:
• Allows freedom of speech for all • Can work as a Media Echo-Chamber
those who can connect online. (25% of where beliefs and values are reinforced
the planet and rising) and re-cycled by only listening to those
points of view you agree with. A kind of
• Allows information to be distributed
personal gate keeping.
that normally wouldn’t because of:
• Government censorship
• Allows extreme and violent aspects of
• Press Exclusion
society an uncontrolled voice.
• Against Corporate Interest (No
monetary value/negative for
corporation) • Is open to corruption by those with the
most money and power – Governments,
• Allows citizens to form networks of like
Corporations, Respected views.
minded people and have a greater
ability to make change • So many people make the news it is
hard to see the truth or what is valuable.
• Allows anyone to share important
news.
Activity: Controlled Essay Question
In We the Media, Dan Gillmor suggests that:

“Professional Journalism’s worst enemy may be itself.


Corporate Journalism, which dominates today, is squeezing
quality to boost profits in the short term…. Such tactics are
ultimately likely to undermine the business in the long term.”
(Gillmor, D 2004 p. XXVII)

Discuss whether or not Professional Journalism is destroying


itself by making itself less useful to audiences. Reflect on
the impact of citizen journalism in your answer. Make sure to
cite several relevant theories and examples to back up your
argument.
Activity: Small Scale Class Debates
• Teams of two:
1st Speaker – Outlines key points of your
argument and provides examples and evidence.

2nd Speaker – Adds supporting points and


rebuts points made by opposing speakers.

• 2 mins each MAX to speak

• You can have any kind of written notes in front of


you.

• 30 mins to prepare.
Debate Topics
Topic 1 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies force
the corporate press to think more about the public interest.

Topic 2 – The Press is becoming less useful to audiences.

Topic 3 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies make


audiences more aware of different points of view in the world.

Topic 4 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies


eliminate the problem of gate keeping in the news.
Affirmative Topic 1 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies force the
corporate press to think more about the public interest.

Negative Topic 1 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies force the
corporate press to think more about the public interest.

Affirmative Topic 2 – The Press is becoming less useful to audiences.

Negative Topic 2 – The Press is becoming less useful to audiences.

Affirmative Topic 3 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies make


audiences more aware of different points of view in the world.

Negative Topic 3 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies make


audiences more aware of different points of view in the world.

Affirmative Topic 4 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies


eliminate the problem of gate keeping in the news.

Negative Topic 4 – Citizen Journalism and Web 2.0 technologies eliminate


the problem of gate keeping in the news.

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