Midterm Examination in Citizen and Community Journalism | Marc Vincent Lucillo

1.     Differentiate citizen journalism and community journalism.

Citizen journalism and community journalism both involve the public in the process of news-making. Both of which utilize the idea of collaboration of the professional and the audience. However, despite having a common denominator, these two are different.

In citizen journalism, the public either pitches potentially newsworthy stories to news outfits for publication or publishes the story on their own through social media. This practice has reached its relevance in the news-making scene since the rise of social media and short-messaging systems. However, it is important to take note that these citizen journalists are not professionals, and that makes them susceptible to ethical anomalies.

On the other hand, in community journalism, the journalists immerse themselves in the community they choose to champion. This journalism highlights certain problems of a community beyond the surface through having to experience it first-hand by the journalist. But, this aspect makes community journalism sensitive as it can be framed as poverty porn.

Nonetheless, both citizen journalism and community journalism help create more spaces for news that are traditionally left out by the media.

2.     Choose a unique local issue that you think can be resolved by community journalism.

Pandi has received loads of new residents every year since the plan for the decongestion of Metro Manila and the start of intensive infrastructural development.  There are 18 relocation sites alone in Pandi contributing to the almost 100% doubling of its population in 2015 and 2020.

Unfortunately, along with the influx of population, the crime in Pandi has worsened. Child delinquency and other crimes have become a frequent problem of Pandi, especially those inside the relocation sites. It happens so often that residents would suggest putting those children behind bars straight, completely neglecting the child's rights. However,  the local government would not want to act on this and continues to refuse to talk about this as it could give bad publicity to the municipality.

Suppose there is a journalist who will immerse themselves in the community inside the relocation sites of Pandi. In that case, this issue will have a bigger platform where it can be talked about without the restraint of the municipality. Such exposure will open the discussion about the appropriateness of some existing laws about child delinquency, especially for those children who are also victims of poverty.