Citizen journalism

Citizen journalism is the gathering, reporting, and sharing of news by members of the public, often outside professional news organizations and through digital platforms.

Smartphone journalism: The use of smartphones to record, edit, and publish news reports. Phone cameras and publishing apps let witnesses report directly from unfolding events.
Penny press: A nineteenth-century form of inexpensive mass-market newspaper sold for a penny. Its broad readership and street-level reporting foreshadowed news made beyond elite institutions.
Eyewitness video: Video recorded by someone who directly observes an event. Firsthand footage can provide a record of breaking news, subject to authentication and context.
Professional journalism: News reporting produced by people working within established journalistic roles and standards. Its staffed reporting systems and editorial oversight distinguish it from independent public contributions.
Gatekeeping: The control of which information reaches an audience through selection and filtering. Digital publishing weakens news organizations’ exclusive control over which events become visible.
Social media: Online platforms where users create, share, and discuss content within networks. Posts and reposts distribute eyewitness reports rapidly, while also shaping their reach.
Underground press: Publications produced outside or against dominant political and commercial media systems. Independent print traditions offered precedents for reporting beyond established news organizations.
Disaster reporting: The gathering and publication of information about disasters and their effects. Residents can share local conditions and urgent needs when infrastructure or news coverage is disrupted.
Participatory journalism: Journalism that involves audiences or communities in producing, shaping, or distributing news. It overlaps with citizen journalism but can include participation within professional outlets.
Agenda-setting theory: The theory that media influence which issues audiences consider important by emphasizing them. Widely shared public reports can push overlooked events onto the news agenda.

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