CitizenJournalismWhy now, Why Me, and Why Bother
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Alternative Roots
Alternative To what?
The Mainstream
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MSM Characteristics
AcCess to Power
Sponsors
Parachute in Reporters
Objectivity
Strict Rules and Conventions
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MSM (Cont.)
Few OUtlets, Even Fewer Owners
Top Down Management
Appeal to LCD (aka Infotainment)
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Alternative Media
Alternative to the mainstream
Personal Stake in Issues
Alternative TOpics
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(Cont.)
Freedom of Style
Bottom Up Management
Alternative Business Models
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Which LEads to...
Freedom to Choose Topics
No Experience? No Problem!
Many tools available (tech)
You Creation, Your Art
Portfolio that Speaks for itself
CITIZEN JOURNALISM
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Drawbacks
Lack the Resources of MEdia ORgs
Lack of working structure
LAck of Name recognition
If a Tree Falls...
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All Equal on the net?
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Basic Formats
Text: Blogs, online magazines, etc.
Audio: POdcasts
Video: Videoblogs (beyond Youtube)
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Some Examples
videojournalist.nl
ryanishungry.com
Radioopensource.org
aliveinbaghdad.org
West Africa Wins Alwaysnofoodforlazyman.blogspot.com
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Relating to Journalists:
Receptive and happy to cooperate
On some level, Envious
curious for their own work
Sometimes, completely unwilling to talk
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Work-Life Balance
Never Not working
Never Working
Affording the costs
Jobs that do or don’t respect your work
A-Typical, many colleagues have stopped
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Work-Life Balance (2)
Invitations from organizations, Conferences and SchoolS
Enthusiastic Audience provides
Jobs, I get hired because of my site
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Geography
Advantage of NOT having to BE there
Living at a crossroads for international travel & work
Language less of a concern
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The UNKnown Future
Can we survive?
Will we be colonized?
Does the world benefit?
The End
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CITIZENREPORTER.ORG