ABSTRACT
The traditional news media’s position as the primary provider of information in the United States is being challenged because the ease of publishing content online has increased the number of people producing content. The people who publish information with little to no professional training are sometimes referred to as online citizen journalists. Controversy exists because it is assumed that some citizen journalists produce content without traditional journalistic values in mind (Glaser, 2006; Merrill, 1974). Some citizen journalists are not aware of such principles or they value the independence of creating articles that are not based on traditional principles (Gladney et al., 2007; Johnstone et al., 1976; J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism, 2007). Nonetheless, a study by J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism (2007) found the majority (79 percent) of citizen journalists surveyed felt they were producing “journalism.” Principles are, among other attributes, considered a set of standards for achieving news quality. This research addresses whether online citizen journalists are producing “quality” journalism as defined by scholars and traditional journalists by comparing their work to the content of online newspapers. For purposes of this study, an online citizen journalist will be defined as “an individual who intends to publish information meant to benefit a community.” This means citizen journalists and traditional journalists fall under the definition of a journalist. Not every person is a journalist, but any citizen can become one. While the word “community” often refers to individuals who are bounded by common interests, this research is limited to journalists reporting on a geographic community. The definition of a citizen journalist can be dissected into several parts. The First Amendment protects a citizen’s right to publish, and infringements on that right go against the ideals of the First Amendment. “Freedom to publish means freedom for all and not for some. Freedom to publish is guaranteed by the Constitution” (Associated Press v. United States, 1945, p. 20). Intent to publish is important because the rights of journalists must be protected not only with regard to
publishing content, but even as they gather information. Journalistic information also should be intended to benefit the public; content that does not meet this standard should not be classified as journalism. Most traditional news organizations utilize geography to link themselves with their advertisers and news users (Lacy and Simon, 1993). However, in an online setting, many people don’t use geography to define themselves (Chyi and Sylvie, 2001) but articulate their connectedness through common interests.
