Citizen and Community Journalism Midterm Examination

1. Differentiate Citizen and Community journalism.

Many people often confuse the meaning of these two journalism areas as just Individual and collective journalism, and that is wrong. Community journalism is a field in journalism where professional journalists stay in a community to study and reveal news-worthy stories inside a community. It can also suggest solutions to the underlying problems in a community. Community journalists are catalysts and amplifiers that initiate action and changes. While on the other hand, Citizen journalism is a terminology for Citizens who act as journalists. Meaning they don’t have to be professionals to do this, they only need a gadget and social media to publish their own report or composition. Their materials posted online can also be used as news in the mainstream media depending on public concern. An example of Citizen journalism is taking a video of a house fire and posting it on social media with information about it, as simple as that can already be considered as Citizen journalism. Yes, Everyone can be a Citizen Journalist but not everyone can be a Community Journalist. 

2. Choose a uniquely local issue which you think can be resolved through community journalism, and why? 

In our community in Marilao, Bulacan, We don’t have a sense of belongingness to one another. It can be the reason why people often throw garbage everywhere, park their cars anywhere, and even easily blot one another, because we don’t care about each other. Our community lacks unity and a sense of collectivity. One reason I see is because we don’t have community events that can help us bind together as one, or make us interact with one another and create connections. Back in the early 2000's we celebrated fiestas here in Marilao, there were EAting together, singing contests, dance competitions, Pageants, Free Zumba, Free workshops and more but as years passed the tradition faded and every event became political and exclusive only to those that are closer to the government officials. I believe that when the government opens its doors for collective events our community can change into a better one. One that cares for another and One that cares for the sake of many. In this way we can engrave a sense of collectivity to the community.