Week 8: Citizen Journalism and New Media Audiences

Before talk about citizen journalism in details, let's compare communication pattern between old and new media. Old media only allows individual conversation, which means one to one such as letters and telephones. But, new media allows mass communication, many individuals can involve in the same conversation such as email, attn, cc, bcc, you can send the same email to many individuals.

We did discuss media convergence in previous so, one of the characteristics of the new media is cosumers become prosumers. 

Consumer + Producer = Prosumer

It refers to nowadays we people are not only using the media but also contribute materials or information via the media. For example, Blogger.com, a blogspot owner is the consumer of Blogger and he is the producer too as he publishes web logs within his blog. Moreover, network nodes change the flow of information and more information are generated within the network. Thus, the world changes the ways to contribute or publish information especially in journalism.  

Furthermore, tradition media for publication such as newspapers and magazine have limited information due to limited columns, expensive printing and the distribution is limited too, like what we have discussed in previous post entry too. On the other hand web logs or blog can reach wider audiences and various written works can be published with low cost or even free and no entry requirements. Then, these advantages encourage people to publish their written works via web logs and citizen journalism is formed. Basically, citizen journalism refers to anyone of us can become the journalist, write something, and publish it through online. Web log, this new media for publication can reach audiences globally and then, anyone of us could be the readers or audiences of web logs as long as we are connected to the networks. 

Based on industry point of view, journalism should contain news values which are proximity, timeliness, prominence, novelty, and human interests. The stories published via web logs could achieve all these news values too and web logs are more advanced in timeliness as updates can be made immediately through online, not like newspapers, editing has to wait until next publication. Moreover, newspapers need to be profitable, that is why many advertisements but web logs not necessary need to be profitable and online journalism could offer a collection of news which is free one and always available. Internet shares information by the speed of lights thus, the news can be shared to many people at the same time.  

In addition, citizen journalism is about people can create any information, news or materials through online media thus, it could lead to information avalanche - overflow or too much of information. Besides, there are no gatekeeper to filter the information and more and more similar information can be distributed through out the networks and quality of the works would be affected too. However, citizen journalism encourages instant feedback that makes the information more valuable. It means, readers could share their opinions through online immediately and make the content richer. 

In conclusion, I am a citizen journalist too. I use Blogger to publish my written works and I could interact with my readers by commenting. 

Let's enjoy a simple animation about tradition journalism vs. citizen journalism. This video talks how citizen journalism works and benefit. 

Markfior 2009, Old vs new, YouTube.com [ URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRlKol4Usxw&feature=related ]

viewed at 26th September 2011.  

Week 7: Weblogs

This week reading: 

Shirky. C. 2002, Weblogs and the mass amateurization of publishing. [URL: http://shirky.com/writings/weblogs_publishing.html] Retrieved on 23th September 2011.

First, what are weblogs? A weblog or web log, refers to a web site that contains information arranged in reverse chronological order and the site owner or users contribute the sources and information (TechTarget 2000).

The article discusses weblogs affect the ways of publishing written works and influence the ways we generate income by using weblogs. Weblogs are effective tools to publish information, news, and weblogs also can be used as an online diary. May weblogs such as Google's Blogger, WordPress are free, and getting more prosumers or produsers use weblogs for publishing their creative works then, get revenue. Here are some points need to be highlighted:

1. "Mass amateurization is the web's normal pattern"

Mass amateurization? It sounds difficult to understand right? Basically, it refers to nowadays the weblogs can reproduce and distribute unlimited written works with a low cost or even free. Then, no gatekeepers to filter the works so, the quality of works would become not so professional like the traditional publication such as newspapers. 

2. "We want a world where global publishing is effortless"

However,  weblogs are important due to we can share information by no costs and entry level. Anyone of us can create and distribute any information included personal thoughts via weblogs. Moreover, weblogs are not like the traditional media, weblogs can reach a wider audiences with a lower cost. Weblogs do not need any printing to be distributed through out the nation and networks are no border, any information shared through weblogs can flow throughout the networks and everyone from anywhere is able to read it. 

3.  "Weblogs can serve as indirect methods for revenue"

So, here comes the most interesting part: how we can generate revenue by weblogs? The article gave a few examples, such as Amazon affiliate program, and asking for donations. Amazon affiliate program enables weblogs owners to get revenue by promoting books from Amazon within the weblogs. Owners need to agree to put a widget that consists of book list so when readers visit the particular weblogs, they might aware of the book list and click on it. After that, weblogs owners could receive revenue based on the clicks. 

Amazon affiliate program

Amazon Associates, What is the amazon associates program?, Amazon.com [ URL: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/join/getstarted ]

Image retrieved on 23th September 2011. 

In addition, like Google also provides AdSense to let Blogger users generate revenue while blogging. It also works similar like Amazon affiliate program. Once the owners opt for AdSense, an online advertisement will be placed in their blogs and they get the income based on the clicks on the advertisements too. 

Paypal donation button. Users can generate their own Paypal donation button. For more information visit: 

MaMa's Helpdesk 2011, How to create Paypal donation button when donation option is not visible, blogspot. [ URL: http://mama-helpdesk.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-make-paypal-donation-button-when.html ]

Image retrieved on 23th September 2011.

The article discusses another way to generate revenue is asking for donations such as Amazon and Paypal tip jars.  Certain weblogs are self sponsored to provide paid information or materials such as music. Thus, they need donations from readers to maintain their weblogs. Readers could pay the donations to the weblogs owners by credit cards or Paypal money.

Due to weblogs can reach widest audiences throughout the networks and advertisement exposure is higher therefore, many organizations would advertise on weblogs. Furthermore, advertising community is formed to let advertisements to be published on suitable weblogs and let the weblogs owners to get revenue, for example Nuffnang Malaysia. 

In conclusion, weblogs can reach mass readers or audiences. Everyone can distribute their works through weblogs, weblogs require no entry level, no barriers to publish works, and most important weblogs are mostly free service. Weblogs are ideal platforms to let us share written works and whatever we like. Besides, we could get revenue while we blog too. 

Reference:
TechTarget, 2000, What is weblog?, SearchSOA [ URL: http://searchsoa.techtarget.com/definition/weblog ]
Viewed at 23th September 2011.