Media Evolution: The Rise of Citizen-Assisted Journalism

Is real journalism in decline?

With blogs and social media, everyone has their own printing press for reporting news items small and large in real time.  Traditional, staff-heavy newsrooms are at a clear disadvantage. (See massive layoffs at most major traditional news outlets).

The problem is the vast majority of bloggers and social-media users aren’t really journalists.  Blog posts are usually written with little regard to fact checking or citing third-party sources.  There’s not much adherence to clear journalistic standards. As I said in my post yesterday, the tweets you read might be paid advertisements.

As a result, much of what we read online is heavy on reaction and light on investigation.  Most of what we read on a blog, like the one you’re reading now, falls under the category called Opinion and Editorial.  Commentary is useful and important, but it’s not the same as hard news.

The same thing is happening on cable and TV where the traditional news anchor format has been replaced by talking-head echo chambers.

Big deal?

It is if you consider our democracy was built on the premise of governmental transparency, which is ensured by a free press–the so-called Fourth Estate.  For America to really work, SOMEBODY needs to actually report what our leaders are up to.

But hang on, we’re not doomed yet. Journalism isn’t in decline. It’s simply evolving with technology.

How?

Check out the ascendant Talking Points Memo news site.  Like the HuffingtonPost, TPM is equal parts blog and news aggregator.  Occasionally, however, TPM slips in a remarkable post like today’s re-publication of the White House’s recent visitor list.  Read it here.

In the post, TPM’s growing editorial staff recognizes that access to the levers of government is a compelling news story.  But with an overwhelming 1,600 people on the White House visitor list, TPM admitted it could use help from its readers to sort through the names.  Predictably, many readers cracked-wise claiming fictitious visitors like Osama Bin Laden and Sarah Palin.  However, many of the comments identify names of corporate leaders and comment on the frequency of visits by key policy advisors.  Not exactly a feature article in a major newspaper, but these “citizen journalists” grabbed their shovels to help dig up news.  The post represents a trend.

Online media is learning how to engage the crowd crowd to provide swift factual investigation and important analysis.  The final news product might look messy and unpolished in a wiki sort of way, but it also kinda looks like real reporting.  The most important and successful news sites will be the ones who can best mobilize their readers and the public to do a lot of the heavy lifting.