Are Ethics Missing in Citizen Journalism?

Writing Responsibly

With citizen journalism comes great responsibility.

Do citizen journalists have a responsibility to ethics? Yes. The problem is some citizen journalists do not realize they have that responsibility, because they do not even know itexists.

What is Citizen Journalism?

Citizen journalism, also sometimes referred to broadly as user-generated content, is when anyone can participate in the gathering, writing, reporting, and even the publishing of news. Citizen journalism can be published on a site like Associated Content, on a blog, or any other venue online.

Citizen journalism is a way for everyone to be involved in the media, and of fulfilling their first amendment right of freedom of expression. The founding fathers would be proud.

As publishing platforms become easier to use, and more versatile, citizen journalism will only grow, much to the chagrin of the traditional press.

As citizen journalism grows, and more writers produce news and content, so does the need for a citizen journalist code of ethics.

News and Ethics

One aspect of reporting that journalists and news writer learn in formal settings is ethics. Responsible journalists research, interview and report through a lens of ethics. The emphasis is on responsible journalist. Some journalists do not take ethics to heart, and are concerned more with their byline, their own 15 minutes of fame, and yes, the payday.

Because journalists and news reporters are struggling for our attention, they sometimes forget they have a responsibility. The responsibility is to produce honest, well-researched, thought-provoking information.

Just because ethics exist does not mean they are always considered to the same extent in various forms of media. There is a scale of how ethics tame the news and news reporting.

For the most part network news is usually on the low end of ethics when it comes to reporting. What is newsworthy for TV focuses heavily on fires or any other visually exciting event. Human tragedy is also high on the list.