Episode 9 - The one where Digitella visits the Times

Digitella and her journalism class were visiting The Times in Joburg for a week - the idea was to produce multimedia packages with The Times online news team. There was a lull on the second day, and Digitella was aware that her blog needed to be updated, so she decided to review the Sunday Times website and its implementation of citizen media. She found a computer in a quiet corner and started writing her blog:

"The slogan of the The Times Online website is 'Interact with us'. In terms of its Web 2.0 applications, The Times is ahead of the rest. RSS feeds, a Facebook group and hyperlocal services such as online competitions, weather forecasts and dating services try bring online users to the site and entice them to stay.

But, what is The Times online doing about the rise of citizen media and just how are they tapping into this ever-increasing phenomenon? Other than a half-hearted link to fellow Johncom colleague Reporter.co.za, there isn't anything on the Times site that encourages user-generated content. Here are just a few ideas on how The Times can exploit the potentiality of their online medium by including content created by users:

Citizen blogs - The Times site hosts a number of blogs but they are all either by editors, journalists or well-known print columnists. Offering a blogging option for users who subscribe may be a good way to hear what are on the minds of SA citizens.

User photo/ video galleries - The Mail and Guardian has set up a reader's photo gallery where users can submit photographs that they have taken. The Times could incorporate a system similar to this one quite easily.

Citizen articles - The Times could set up a section of their website that invites users to submit stories and articles on issues and events that they find relevant. Not only will this allow citizens to have their say, but it could also give Times journalists an idea of what the people they are catering for are actually interested in.

By adding a few of these citizen media elements, The Times will be able to truly live up to their slogan - 'Interact with us'"

Digitella had just finished her blog entry when she was called back to the bustling online newsroom.

Episode 8 - The one where Digitella discusses hyperlocal media

Chip McMac had been very helpful over the past week, trying to get Digitella’s laptop fixed but when she went to him early on Monday morning, her precious laptop was still broken.

“I’m sorry, Digitella, it's going to take at least another week to fix.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Digtella sighed. “I have a mobile phone for the time being,” she held up Tek's Nokia.
“I thought you were having trouble with it,” he said, remembering her moans about not being able to upload her blog entry.
“I’ve finally got the hang of it. It isn’t that hard. In fact, I’ve been using it to work on my latest entry and it’s going well,” she said.
“What you blogging about this week?"
“Hyperlocal citizen media sites," Digitella said, trying not to notice Chip hacking at her laptop’s hard drive.

“What are hyperlocal citizen media sites?” he asked.
“They are community-based websites that publish current news, events and issues that are relevant to a particular community or neighbourhood of people.”

“What does that have to do with the citizen journalism thingy you are supposed to be covering?” Chip asked.
“The content is produced completely by the people of that community. They write the articles, upload pictures and video. They start debates through forums, and blogs and can discuss issues online through discussion boards,” said Digitella. “The idea comes from principles suggested by the Habermasian public sphere – citizens are not seen as passive consumers of news, but active participants. This site allows people to share their ideas.”
“Even me?” Chip asked, cheekily.
“Yes, even you,” Digitella smiled.

“What’s so important about these hyperlocal sites?”
“It has to do with democracy. A report I read argues that society has become more and more disconnected and that is why there has been a decrease in democratic participation. People aren’t reading national newspapers anymore because they don’t feel that what is published is relevant to them and so they do not take part in political debates and discussions.

“Another great thing about these sites is that they can help traditional journalists like myself tap into community issues. We aren’t always able to see the problems and issues of a community.”

“Wow, sounds like you’re doing a bit of PR for these sites, hey?” Chip said.
“Yeah, well, there are issues with the sites naturally – ethics etc. But, that’s for a different blog,” Digitella said.

“Good luck with it,” Chip waved good bye with his screwdriver.
“Feels like I’ve already written it,” Digitella said.

tune in next week when Digitella visits the Sunday Times in Joburg

Episode 7 - The one where digitella goes mobile

Digitella’s laptop was broken. Old family friend and computer technician, Chip McMac said it would take a few weeks to fix. “How am I going to write my blog?” she wondered, as she entered the news room. She could probably use the lab computers, but Tek had other ideas.

“This is perfect,” he said when she told him about her laptop. On seeing Digitella’s confused expression, he decided to explain.

“The Africa Interactive Media Foundation and Dutch-based citizen journalism website Skoeps recently launched a mobile phone project – Voices of Africa. Basically, journalists in four African countries – Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa are using cellphone technology to report news.” He handed her his Nokia 30100. “What better way to blog about the issue then by using a phone.”

Digitella looked down at her new mode of communication with its small screen. This was going to be interesting …

“Citizen journalism is not a new phenomenon. It began in the late 1980s when newspaper editors started recruiting citizens to give their own points of view on current events and issues. The rise of the Internet and its popular catch-phrase of “access to the people” have led to a huge rise in citizen participation. Blogs, and user-generated content sites like Youtube, and Flickr that allow people to upload videos and images onto the Internet are just a few examples of how ordinary citizens are contributing to mass media.

This is all well and good in countries like the UK and the United States, where bandwidth costs are low and 1 in 3 people have Internet access. In Africa, however, the majority of people do not have access to computers and the only way of getting onto the Internet is through Internet cafes. As of June this year, despite huge development projects and independent funding, Africa still only makes up 3% of the total Internet user population in the world. So what does that mean for citizen journalism?

African citizens do not have the tools to participate in the mass media, which results in one-sided and undemocratic journalistic practice. There is light at the end of the tunnel, however. While computer and Internet access leaves much to be desired on the African continent, cell phones are becoming increasingly popular and media analyst Peter Feuilherade argues that cell phones are penetrating where TV, newspapers and the Internet cannot.

Enter the Voices of Africa Project. The project began in May and reporters in four countries will use cell phones to upload text, video and photos to website Africanews. Hopefully, this will lead to Africans being able to take part in discussions about Africa, providing Africans with a voice. Like all things technological, it’s not all moonshine and roses. There are a few issues to this ambitious project:

Using a cellphone to upload information to the Internet is only possible if the cellphone and the area the cellphone user is in supports wireless communication protocol General Packet Radio System (GPRS). Not all African countries have GPRS.

The project is aimed specifically at reporters, and not ordinary African citizens – are the right voices being heard?

African citizens do not have the same skills as reporters and will need to be trained in how to properly use cellphones to upload information and take part in online discussions about important issues to fully exploit the medium.

In spite of all this, it is exciting that steps are being made to ensure that Africans are also considered part of the citizen journalism arena and that we too have a voice worthy of being heard.”

Digitella typed the last few letters, smiling to herself. There was just one problem – how was she going to upload her post?

Episode 6 - The one where Digitella challenges credibility

The following morning, Prof Lineon stopped Digitella as she was walking down the corridor. “Interesting post last night,” she smiled. “You say that professional/ mainstream journalists offer credibility to the media – does this mean that mainstream journalists are more credible than citizen journalists?”
“Absolutely!” Digitella said, emphatically, standing up for her future colleagues.
“I suggest doing a little more research on the topic before making a decision,” Prof Lineon gave Digitella a knowing look over her wire-rimmed glasses, before walking off.

That afternoon, Digitella and Mo sat down to search the Net and Digitella could not believe what they found … later that day she wrote:

“In my last entry I said that professional journalists would only be under threat from citizen journalists if they failed to be credible reporters – well, we have been warned.

Over the past few years, the South African mainstream media industry has been bombarded with plagiarism lawsuits, article fabrication and misleading headline allegations. Here are just a few:

• Elle magazine editor Cynthia Vongai plagiarised an article originally published (ironically) on a website: askmen,com.
• Sunday Times reporter Ranjeni Munusamy leaked a story to the City Press, alleging that Head of National Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka was a spy – the editor then ran an article with the headline: “Was Ngcuka a spy?”
• A Daily Sun reporter fabricated a front-page hijacking story
• The Cape Times and Business Day fired columnists for plagiarism.

Each of these incidents has led to the gradual decline in professional journalist credibility. One reporter has gone so far as to say that he no longer reads mainstream media, and relies on blogs, and other independent citizen –run news sites as sources of information. Perhaps, said reporter is being a bit melodramatic. There are still many flaws in citizen journalism, especially online. The vastness of the Internet and the lack of any kind of filtering system allow anyone to post information and label it as citizen journalism.

Without any formal codes of conduct to live by, truth and credibility are often missing in citizen journalism. But, in an online interview, co-editor of the independent news site scoop.co.nz, Selwyn Manning says that citizen journalism is not necessarily untruthful. In fact, he proposes an interesting theory that citizen journalism has developed because people have started to realise that they can’t trust everything they read in newspapers, or watch on television.

Perhaps then it is professional journalism’s very lack of credibility that has led to the rise of citizen journalism – without a need to question what is said in mainstream media and to report on issues otherwise ignored by professional journalists there would be no need for citizen journalism … it’s an interesting thought.

The bottom line is – professional journalists better start playing the credibility game by checking facts, living up to professional codes of conduct, viewing all sides of an issue, and not being swayed by advertisers or government officials. If not, professional journalists stand to come a close second to citizen reporters.”

Digitella felt disheartened as she posted her entry. Sipping her coffee, she could only wonder what her future may be …

Episode 5 - The one where Digitella talks credibility

Digitella’s Monday morning journalism lecture seemed to drag on for light years. When the bell finally rang, she made a run for the door, but was stopped by her lecturer, Prof Lineon.

“I hear you are blogging about citizen journalism,” she said, logging off her computer. “As a student getting a degree in journalism, I was interested to hear your thoughts on this article.”

Prof. Lineon pulled a sheet of printing paper out of her desk drawer. “Do you feel threatened by everyday people on the street who are now able to do what you do for less money?”

Digitella scanned the article and later that afternoon, frantically sat down to write:

“Over the past few weeks that I have begun to immerse myself in the world of citizen media and all it has to offer, I never for one moment questioned what the rise of citizen reporters would mean for my future career as a professional journalist.

In an article for Bizcommunity.com, Chris Moerdyk writes that news media owners can take advantage of this recent wave of citizen journalism and cut ever-increasing costs by slashing editorial staff numbers and using content produced by unqualified, citizens. After all, why should media owners pay staff R3.50 a word, when there are millions of people who are willing to share their content for free?

Well then, what about me? Is getting a degree in journalism a complete waste? Will the role of professional journalists one day be obsolete?

My guess is – not likely.

Yes, citizen journalists come cheaper; yes they may very well be better writers and photographers than those brandishing honours degrees. But, why then are professional journalists still more trustworthy than blogs and user-generated content? Why do citizen media sites like Digitaljournal have a small editorial staff of professional journalists who check articles before they are published?

The answer is - credibility.

I believe what citizen journalists lack is an understanding of the media they are working with and how to best report on an issue. Over the past few months, I have been taught that reporting should be fair, accurate, and balanced. It should be unbiased and present issues in such a way so that people can make up their own minds. It is these qualities that give professional journalists credibility.

But, what exactly is credibility? The dictionary defines it as “the quality of being believable or trustworthy". For a media producer it means, among other things, getting all sides of a story, and checking the facts.

I do feel that citizen journalists can pose a threat to professional journalists, but only if professionals fail to be credible reporters of news.

In a recent presentation, Dan Gillmor says that “[journalists] must maintain core principles, including fairness, accuracy, and thoroughness. These … are essential if professional journalism expects to survive.”

The rise of cheap citizen journalists does not make me nervous, but it does make me aware that I need to work harder at establishing credibility through reporting that is fair, accurate and balanced.”

Digitella posted her entry with the feeling that she had just opened a can of worms …

Next week, Digitella delves deeper into the crevices of the professional/ citizen journalist debate.