Citizen Journalism

in
Developing States
In
The Digital Age

 The

Internet provides access to

more information, new sites of
communication and cheap
outlet to establish a journalistic
practice.

It

is now easier for independent

citizens to establish a
journalistic practice.

http://www.howtogeek.com/183431/htg-explains-what-is-the-internet-of-things/

 Online

networking tools can be used

to establish sites of communication
for a relatively low cost and risk.

 Online

communication networks
can be established without formal
organizational hierarchies.

 For

peoples in developing and

democratizing States, these sites of
communication have been a blessing.

They

have enabled marginalized

groups to assert their voice and be
heard by an international community.

 Online

tools enable people to establish sites of

communication but the narrative often remains
in control of the dominant elite.

Be

they religious, economic, racial, cultural or

political, these elite echelons continue to control
the dominant narrative in most societies today.

 Established

institutions focus on
maintaining dominance over the
space they have carved in society.

People

seeking to challenge the

dominance of established institutions
may need to seek support from
equally powerful institutions.

 Many

media outlets have been coopted

into governmental agendas and do not
work in support of public interest.

People

seeking to challenge the

dominant narrative must capitalize on
sites of communication not controlled by
the dominant elite.

 The

"fifth estatethe social networks

established by citizen journalists,
bloggers and non-mainstream media
are a counterpoint to established media
institutions.

 If

the mainstream media has been

coopted into the Governments agenda,
citizens may have to rely on the networks
established by the "fifth estate".

Rather

than relying on political and

corporate "lapdogs, developing states
should turn to the "watchdogs of public
interest.

 Citizen

journalism erodes the ability of

governments to act as a gatekeeper over
the media.

New

communication tools like social media

and smartphones enable the average
citizen can now provide instantaneous
reporting.

Image ID :35102318

 An

Unlovable Press is a valuable asset for

any democracy

If

the mainstream media does not represent

public interest then citizen journalists must
fulfill that role.

 Digital

communication tools now provide

people with access to a world of information
and a platform to express their voice.

Without

insufficient access to these tools,

many people in less developed states remain
isolated from the global village envisioned
by Marshall McLuhan.

 Many

people remain isolated as result of

costly access and bad service.

These

standards have historically been

perpetuated though monopolies over
communication technologies.

 For

others, access to the Internet and

other digital tools is non-existent.

Developing

states have been slow to

establish the infrastructure required to
provide internet access for the
majority of their citizens.

 Many

developing states do not have

the capacity to deliver large-scale
internet services.

Recent

development, such as the

potential of White Space frequencies
to provide long range broadband, can
allow developing states to overcome
these challenges.

 Affordable

internet access is important

for developing states seeking to
establish a democratic government.

Digital

communication tools have

become essential for securing justice
where free expression has been
restricted.

 The

development of new surveillance

provides cyber criminals and governments
with new ways to intrude on the privacy of
citizens.

http://thehackernews.com/2013/06/digital-privacy-internetsurveillance.html

 New

encryption and anonymity technologies

are vital tools for journalists seeking to hold
governments, militaries, or corporations
accountable for criminal action, such as
human rights abuses.

 Developments

in digital journalismnew sites of

communication, encryption technology and
anonymous reportinghave become a
precondition of privacy, free expression and
accountability in the digital age.

 With

multiple forces competing for power, the

transition to democracy is the most unstable
time for a developing state.

Transparency

and accountability are required

for a successful transition.

In

this regard, digital communication tools

and citizen journalism have become
indispensable for people in developing states.

Acknowledgements
https://www.mindmeister.com/463617299/fundamentals-of-journalism
Alex Bruns,. 2011. Gatekeeping, Gatewatching, Real-Time Feedback: New Challenges for
Journalism
Clay Shirky: How Social Media Can Make History
https://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history?lang
uage=en#t-516503
Web Users Open the Gate By: Jay Rosen, The Washington Post. June 19, 2006.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800618.html
Michael Schudson, 2008. Why Democracies Need an Unlovable Press
Marshall McLuhan, 1964. Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Alexander John Watson, 2006. Marginal Man: The Dark Vision of Harold Innis. Toronto: University
of Toronto Press, p.357