Citizen Journalism Takes Hold

Jan Schaffer, Executive Director of J-Lab writes that the tipping point has been reached when the "experiment" of citizen journalism has changed the long-standing paradigm of "professional" US media. New hyperlocal, on-the-scene, and instant photo and video coverage signal a growing level of citizen participation in new media and with traditional media. Schaffer says that new media initiatives emerge when citizens feel 'shortchanged, bereft or angered by their available media choices.' This article lays out the current trends and points to the future of citizen journalism.