Citizen and Community Journalism Midterm Examination | Angelo C. Caparas

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

Citizen journalists are those who obtain news outside of established media outlets, whereas community journalists are essentially professionals in the field. Furthermore, community journalism specializes in reporting local news, compared to other news organizations. The word "community" itself suggests that they are highlighting local residents in order to grab readers' interest in their stories. But in addition to focusing on the difficulties and issues of the residents, community journalists amplified their voices by presenting their stories, producing in-depth news, or filming documentaries. Community journalists aim to capture the spirit of the local community by fostering a sense of connection among the residents of the area. 

However, citizen journalists strive to disseminate information and issues through social media or their blogs in a way that is reliable, much like professional journalists do. Similar to community journalism, citizen journalism seeks to strengthen the community by giving voices to their areas that are mostly shared online. Some citizen journalists even have their own platforms where they can freely express their thoughts without journalism standards and values or the editorial control of professionals.

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.

As a licensed driver, I take it as a priority to travel on safe roads all the time. It's not only about my safety; it's also about the safety of other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. As most of us are aware, there are a lot of uneven, bumpy roads or potholes in Bulacan, specifically in our Barangay Longos Malolos. Cyclists and walkers who cross these surfaces run the risk of getting hurt if they lose their balance or stumble which can lead to an accident.

I believe that community journalism may help solve this problem by advocating solutions, including the community, and coordinating with officials responsible for fixing infrastructural faults. Additionally, by identifying the underlying reasons for the issue, journalists can hold local governments responsible for resolving this matter.

Even though the road here in Barangay Longos has been undergoing repairs for a year, to maintain transparency and accountability, community journalists can keep an eye on the status of road repair projects and offer continuous coverage of infrastructure developments.