C&C Journ Midterms: Citizen & Community Journalism Differentiated & BTEX

PART 1: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMUNITY & CITIZEN JOURNALISM

    To differentiate the two, let’s start by defining each individually. Citizen journalism is a practice done by citizens of a certain community. It is participative in nature since traditional media consists of journalists as the practitioners of the field compared to this practice which grants the role of reportage to the public. Community journalism, on the contrary, is the professional reportage of news specific to a certain locality, at the same time covering news significant to residents of that particular locality but not as close to beat journalism, which is typically geographically broader in coverage. 

    Community journalism in the Philippines is best applied to news coverage within a baranggay, where local stories are priority as they are usually overshadowed by big stories and stories of national importance in mainstream media. This is where community journalism and citizen journalism intersect, making it prone to confusion because there is a common element between the two: community. Citizen journalism exists because there are stories left untold which enables citizens to fill the gaps in reporting. Community journalism could then follow and pick up the pieces for a more professional reportage or opt for other local stories they find significant to the residents of that community through carefully weighing news values and verification. 

    In an assessment of the roles itself, the difference becomes transparent. Citizen journalism is nonprofessional and can be practiced by anyone despite absence of journalistic experience and knowledge; community journalism is a professional practice, done by journalists equipped with more journalistic knowledge and experiences.

PART 2: BULACAN-TARLAC EXPRESSWAY

    Aside from traffic congestion, residents of barangay San Pablo also carry a burden of uncertainty for the feature. This is due to a relocation scare sparked upon release of initial plans for the construction of Bulacan-Tarlac Expressway or BTEX to make way for the new airport. The state may have the power of eminent domain, a power granting them the potential to withdraw a private property from someone’s ownership for public usage, given that in exchange for it, there is just compensation. Affected residents, however, in an estimate of 20 or more families in the barangay, strongly refuse to give up their properties, to which majority are inherited from ancestors. 

    And I believe this issue can be resolved through community journalism. Through professional coverage, the issue can gain attention, specifically the national government’s attention. This could exert pressure on leaders or persons in charge to do immediate action which could possibly enable revision of plans that does not jeopardize the lands and the heritage deemed irreplaceable by money.