Bob Rosenbaum on Citizen Journalism

OurBlook interview with Bob Rosenbaum, principal of The MarketFarm, a media consulting business

How are you using citizen journalism in your news source? Are you familiar with any other media sites that have successfully done what you are doing?

BR: The Heights Observer was founded in early 2008 and is run entirely by volunteers and serves the Cleveland (OH) suburbs of Cleveland Heights and University Heights - combined population approximately 65,000. We have one half-time staff member who brings together the various functions of publishing – finished copy, design, advertising, distribution, etc. – but all reporting, writing and editing is done by volunteers. Policy and high-level management is also conducted through a volunteer committee. The organization produces a monthly paper and also manages a news site and a discussion forum, using the 9th Estate citizen journalism publishing platform. It's owned by FutureHeights, a non-profit dedicated to citizen engagement.

There are at least six other hyperlocal media groups in our area (Greater Cleveland) that are all loosely connected and doing the same thing, though ours is the only non-profit that I'm aware of.

Why are we doing this? The economics of media has eroded the kind of comprehensive coverage that smaller communities need. We want a transparent government; we want discussion of hot-button issues; we want to know what's going on in our neighborhoods. But even though our community is still served by a chain of suburban weeklies, the resources it dedicates to coverage have steadily declined; for-profit news can't afford to be this granular. As a community, we decided we're going to need to do this ourselves.

Some experts argue that citizen journalism could help local newspapers survive. What do you think about that statement and why?

BR: Let's face the truth: When media insiders express concern about "citizen journalists," what's often at the core of their worry is a fear of being replaced by free contributors. And given the trend in newsroom employment over the past five years, who can blame them?

I believe that responsible media executives who talk about harnessing the power of citizen journalists are really trying to figure out how to thrive in a media environment that now demands true interaction between content providers and consumers.

It's an important distinction; one is about finding a cheap way to fill space. The other is about adapting to the changing demands of a connected world.

That might mean utilizing citizen journalists to do add-on reporting, or to help find sources and discover stories. And while this might be done through interactive media, such as blogs and forums, it's really no different than the old-school notion of a well-developed network of stringers.

Overall, I'm not optimistic about the outcome, or generally supportive of the idea, of using free labor to generate core content in a for-profit medium. I just don't think volunteers will work that hard for the enrichment of others.

Where citizen journalism has its place is at the level where the economics fail to support mainstream media. Thirty years ago, there were a handful of such opportunities; today they are everywhere. But applying a business model to citizen journalism is difficult. I'm skeptical about the large-scale citizen journalism models that I've seen, not because I don't think they are well-intentioned or well thought-through, but because I wonder if they can ever develop the kind of sustainable brand that is required to generate profits over time.

Some critics cringe at the thought of citizen journalism, citing lack of quality and wondering if it's just going to be a bunch of irresponsible, inept bloggers. How would you respond to these critics? Are there any steps that newspapers and other publications can take to safeguard against inaccurate, dishonest, slanted or otherwise harmful citizen journalism?

BR: As a matter of precision, I disagree with the assertion that blogging and citizen journalism are synonymous - whether good or bad. The term "blog" is no longer, if it ever was, clearly defined. It can mean everything from responsible reporting to screeds/rants to keeping an online diary.

Journalism, on the other hand, is precisely defined: It requires fact-based reportage presented in some kind of story form. If that's what you do, you are a journalist - regardless of whether you work for a well-known news-gathering organization or maintain your own blog.

There is no question that citizen journalism can be amateurish. But it doesn't have to be. The Heights Observer has undertaken a series of workshops through which we try to educate our reporters and editors. Our curriculum so far includes newswriting, editing, photography and feature-writing. Currently in development are basic reporting and law/ethics.

Further, those who manage the project have set high standards: Stories must be adequately sourced; opinions are not allowed to be disguised as fact; personal agendas must be disclosed. In other words, when the editors do a good job of managing content, citizen journalists learn quickly how to do a good job creating content.

It's true that journalism is a discipline that benefits from a certain amount of education and indoctrination. And certain specialties, such as investigative reporting, require far too much time on the job and institutional backing to be the likely landing place for citizen journalists. But let's confront two critical truths:

1) The vast majority of workaday reporting that journalists do isn't that complicated or difficult; most journalism schools are able to teach students the basics of the craft in a few credit hours - with the rest of the curriculum focused on specialties and nuance.

2) All journalists in the United States are citizen journalists; there is no license required for this job, and when special access is accorded to journalists – such as the White House briefing room, or being embedded in a fighting unit in Afghanistan – it's done as a proxy for the rest of us due to practical constraints (and generally is not based on the reporter's skills, but rather on the good name of the institution for which the reporter works).

Journalists, by virtue of their training and knowledge, don't get to do anything that any other U.S. citizen shouldn't be able to do – unless, of course, they are being used by their sources as a pipeline to a specific audience (the classic example being when a different local reporter gets to take a ride in a fighter jet every time the Navy Blue Angels come to town).

So what should a media organization do to safeguard against "inaccurate, dishonest, slanted or otherwise harmful citizen journalism?" Very simply, it should not compromise its standards. It should provide citizen journalists with clear direction on what is expected, with resources to learn what needs to be learned, and with editing that demands accuracy and thoroughness.

What obstacles do citizen journalists face, and what are some possible solutions?

BR: The main obstacle that I see for citizen journalists is time. Good journalism often takes time. A paid journalist will chase down multiple sources and review records and consult with editors and outside experts precisely because that's what he or she is paid to do. A citizen journalist must do this work on his or her own, with no hope of compensation for the hours spent pursuing and writing a good story. That's a huge obstacle; how much time and pressure and risk will an individual take on simply because they're interested in the story? In my experience, not very much.

What it means is that citizen journalism, with rare exceptions, is about easy and simple stories.

There are undoubtedly some citizens out there who will prove the exception to this. But for the most part, the best way that I can see to put the power of citizen journalism to use is for covering the stuff that is so granular it wouldn't otherwise be discovered – stories that are interesting and meaningful, but also simple and low-risk.

Any editor who expects a volunteer to take on the hazards and headaches of "big story" journalism is a poor judge of human character and probably not an appropriate fit as the manager of a citizen journalism effort.

What makes a good citizen journalist?

BR: The qualities that make a good citizen journalist are the same as those that make a good paid journalist: Curiosity, an ability to synthesize and simplify, an affinity for storytelling, a built-in sense of fairness and a natural comfort with the act of writing. Keep in mind that nobody is perfect: Few journalists - citizen or otherwise - possess an optimal blend of these qualities.

What advice would you give news sources who are trying to recruit more high-quality citizen journalists for their sites?

BR: In reality, most citizen journalists are one-story reporters. They are interested in a specific topic – whether it's governance of the local schools or model railroading – and they disappear when that topic has been resolved or otherwise ceases to be of interest. So citizen journalists are going to come and go. Most important is to make them feel welcome while they're with you; provide them with resources to learn what they need to know; reward them with recognition, credit and small gifts (T-shirts, identity pins, etc.); and never forget to thank them for their effort to make the world more transparent.

Anything you would like to add about this topic?

BR: When asked to compare citizen journalism with any other form of journalism, I struggle to find an appropriate label for the comparison. I avoid comparing "citizen journalism" with "professional journalism"; it's imprecise and accords the latter a level of deference that I find awkward and out of place. The primary differences between citizen journalism and the other variety, whatever it's called, are: 1) the amount of practice each gets, 2) and the form of compensation. Anyone who has dedicated their career to excellence in journalism has my admiration and gratitude. It's a job that's fundamental not only to democracy but to humanity. Still, I argue that there is no class of professional journalists. Now, more than ever, the only price of entry to journalism is internet access and a good head on your shoulders.

(Bob Rosenbaum is principal of The MarketFarm (www.themarketfarm.com), a media consulting business specializing in online strategy and development. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, his background includes reporting, editing, sales and publishing at newspapers and magazines, with consumer and business-to-business audiences at regional and national levels. He serves as a volunteer on the board of FutureHeights, the not-for-profit publisher of the Heights Observer, and chairs its Heights Observer committee.)

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Comments (1)

Catalyst-in-Chief
written by Ron Ross, March 26, 2010

Bob's comments amplify the need for aspiring and active citizen journalists to have resources for training, mentoring, etc. That is why we have formed the National Association of Citizen Journalists and have written "Handbook for Citizen Journalists." We would love to share a complimentary copy of our book with you.

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