Week 9 - Tutorial Activity

The essay topic i have chosen is the effects of citizen journalism, its advantages and disadvantages and the increase due to mobile phone technology. This topic is very relevant to me as i am completing a Bach of Communication majoring in Journalism. Without researching i can already begin to assume some of the positive and negative effects citizen journalism has on mass media and in turn society.

Firstly, i would assume that the positive aspects is the ability to view true images from those involved in the extraordinary event or close by when it occurred. News crews often take sometime to get to events or situations to report and get footage. In addition, a first account from an everyday citizen is worth more in reliability and emotion, than anything a news reporter could conjure.

However, the negative effects of Citizen journalism would have to be the question of whether the information, images or video is actually the real deal, with so many available ways to alter and convert content, citizen journalism requires critical research into its reliability. furthermore, the internet provides anyone with the ability to distribute their story firsthand without the filter process resulting in misleading information flooding mass media.

There are many pro's and con's and i think this topic will enlighten me and create a more through vision of journalism in the 21st century as a result of mobile communications.