Citizen and Community Journalism - Midterm Examination | Angel Nicole Hipos

1. In 6 to 10 sentences, differentiate citizen journalism from community journalism in your own words.

Citizen journalism and community journalism are considered two distinct forms of journalism.

Citizen journalism disseminates news and events acquired and captured by individuals using various social media platforms, such as blogs and other networking sites. It allows everyone to spread the information freely and in real-time, regardless of their knowledge, and without the standards required for professional journalists.

On the contrary, community journalism is a more deliberate and experienced form of journalism. Its priority is documenting news and events within a distinct geographic zone or community, and it is only conducted by experts who work for news organizations or local newspapers. Community journalists play a crucial role in informing a specific community and those who share the same experiences about the issues that affect their daily lives. They can help people in the community stay informed, empowering the citizens to participate in local decision-making processes. Finally, these journalists must follow ethical procedures and fact-check their stories as they contribute to the betterment of society through their impactful and quality reporting.

2. In 6 to 10 sentences, choose a unique local issue that you think can be resolved through community journalism and explain why in your own words.

Financial assistance is being hidden from the residents of Barangay Tuktukan, Guiguinto, Bulacan. People with connections to elected officials only send a tip to those they know instead of informing everyone for a fair distribution of aid allowance. There have been numerous incidents wherein they stated not to notify anyone about it, and there was a time when an official acted innocent when someone they did not send a tip to showed up to request financial assistance, yet the captain himself spoke to give them the said aid.

At this juncture, community journalists can play a significant role in exposing these acts made by local officials by conducting thorough research on the issues and allegations of corruption within the barangay. Residents and officials will be interviewed to gather information and evidence of any mischief to create a credible and accurate news source. The journalist will then write an investigative report detailing the alleged corruption to expose those involved.

By doing these, they can raise awareness for the citizens and hold officials accountable for their actions. It can encourage the residents to express their concerns and advocate transparency and accountability in their barangay officials to achieve good governance in their local community.