1. Social Media & Citizen Journalism
Allan, S., Sonwalkar, P., Carter, C. (2007) ‘Bearing
witness: citizen journalism and human rights
issues’, Globalisation, Societies and Education, Vol. 5,
No, 3, pp. 373- 389.

2. Contents
 The significance and impact of citizen journalism
 Case studies-
1) the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami;
2) the human rights abuses in India’s north-east region
3) the Palestinian Crisis in the occupied territories.
 Conclusion
 Activity

3. Main arguments
 Citizen journalism brings forth ‘new approaches to
eyewitness reporting’ and it provides a basis for ‘emphatic
engagement’ particularly vis-à-vis human rights violations.
 Encourage debate and discussion whilst bringing like-
minded people together.
 Empowered ordinary citizens to take on the role of news
reporter and express their opinions.

4. Social Media & Citizen journalism
 Alternative to ‘helicopter journalism’. This superficial,
‘outside-in’ reporting is not what we need stresses Danny
Schechter.
 Manuel Castell’s concept of the ‘network society’
 Citizen journalism has the ability to witness and humanise
suffering
 Fosters a human connection
 Informs/educates- Raises awareness about certain issues
 Provide intellectual freedom and freedom of speech

5. Web blogs
 Blogs provide a virtual space for discussion and debate. Not
only do they raise awareness about certain issues, they also
humanise events and connect people.
http://www.rediff.com/
 Regarding the Boxing Day tsunami, SEA-EAT (The South-
East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami) was a blog set up soon
after the tragedy about those affected. It was the first of many
blogs that appeared after the disaster and provided the ‘eyes
and ears’ of the tragedy from a local point of view.
http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com.au/

6. Redefining news...
 Online news reporting of citizen journalists presents
alternative viewpoints, context and ideas to news reports;
offering ‘a window for outsiders to look in’.
 The rise of citizen journalists has redefined ‘news’ and who
can be a ‘journalist’. It challenges and transforms the
traditional unilateral process of journalism; social media has
given the audience a means to produce their own content.
 ‘Bypassing News: US citizens journalism killing mainstream’
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLW_VOciufY>.