A case study of the Leicester Mercury and its collaboration with citizen reporters

1. The source, the resource and the collaborator: The role
of citizen journalism in UK local newspapers
Lily Canter, PhD student, The University of Sheffield

2. “There is a role for professional journalism and a
role for citizen journalism. The future belongs
to both. It is not an either/or.”
Keith Perch, Editor Leicester Mercury, May 2011

3. Leicester Mercury Citizens’ Eye
Established as a newspaper 1874 Established 2008 as a website
Flagship Northcliffe Media newspaper and Community news: Reporting by the people
website (DMGT Group) (independent)
Newspaper readership: 54,000 Website views: 20,000 a month
Website monthly unique users: 388,000
(ABC figures , March 2011)
Local news in Leicester + surrounding area Issue related news in Leicestershire
60 editorial staff 450 volunteers
www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk www.citizenseye.org

4. Theoretical framework
Economic vs civic conflicts
(Jenkins, 2008; Ornebring, 2008; Haas, 2007,
Habermas, 1989)
Contemporary role of the gatekeeper
• Retaining gatekeeping via moderation
(Hermida and Thurman, 2008; Ornebring, 2008; Deuze, 2006;)
• Redefining gatekeepers as sense-makers
(Singer, 2010; Newman, 2009)
• Sharing the gates (Paulussen, 2007; Gillmor, 2006)

5. Community reporter roles
Source
Resource Collaborator

6. Pilot collaboration model (RQ1)
Text
Citizens’ Eye feeding
Leicester Mercury
brands (resource)
WAVE supplement
Branded weekly page
Photos Branded newspaper Video
content
Website content
Audio

7. Rules of engagement (RQ3)
Leicester Mercury Citizens’ Eye
Journalist moderation Setting own news agenda
Accuracy upheld Responsible for checks
Branded as citizen journalism Flexibility over style
No automatic right to publication Cover unreported news
Hard news covered by journalists May complement hard news coverage
High level reporting Low level reporting
Court cases Charity/community events
City council meetings Ward meetings
Investigative journalism Self-interest news
Major events and breaking news* Experts
* These can be complemented by citizen journalists providing additional material such
as eyewitness accounts, video, audio and photography

8. Hard
News desk
news
dictate
followed
page no.
up by
journalists
Sub editor (resource
writes becomes
headlines source)
Branded as
News citizen
agenda journalism
set by
Citizens’
Eye
Photos by
Citizens’
Eye
Low level
reporting
Self
Flexibility in interest
style news

9. Complementary collaboration
“It is not about replacing professional
journalists it is about supporting them.”
John Coster, Editor Citizens’ Eye, May 2011