Opinion in Citizen Journalism
Opinionation As CJ's "Fatal Flaw" ?
One common “weak point” some critics see in citizen journalism is its voicing of opinion. Tom Regan notes that many professional journalists even believe that blogs are “hyper-opinionated” (qtd. in Kim, et al. 171). Professionals might point to the opinions expressed in citizen journalism as a flaw that invalidates it.
But what this criticism fails to acknowledge is the fact that citizen journalism is the modern-day vehicle of a citizen’s involvement and contribution to society. Citizens who attend town hall meetings or rallies are not criticized for giving their point of view; in fact, the entire purpose of such events are for expressing one’s opinion to the public or people in positions of power. Why, then, should citizens not express an opinion in their online content, the most common modern form of societal participation? Part of the whole beauty of citizen journalism is its ability to allow the average person to have their opinion heard!
Moreover, this supposed problem of “overly” opinionated content in citizen journalism could prove unfounded when one considers the findings of Sue Robinson and Cathy DeShano of the University of Wisconsin. In their study, they found that bloggers in Madison, Wisconsin agreed that there was a certain set of principles that guided the way they posted online: for example, rants and personal attacks were not tolerated, and kneejerk reactions were deemed unhelpful (974). These tenets, common amongst bloggers, discourage any over-the-top emoting. Thus, it is apparent that citizen journalists can and will avoid being “hyper-opinionated” while expressing their own point of view.
But what this criticism fails to acknowledge is the fact that citizen journalism is the modern-day vehicle of a citizen’s involvement and contribution to society. Citizens who attend town hall meetings or rallies are not criticized for giving their point of view; in fact, the entire purpose of such events are for expressing one’s opinion to the public or people in positions of power. Why, then, should citizens not express an opinion in their online content, the most common modern form of societal participation? Part of the whole beauty of citizen journalism is its ability to allow the average person to have their opinion heard!
Moreover, this supposed problem of “overly” opinionated content in citizen journalism could prove unfounded when one considers the findings of Sue Robinson and Cathy DeShano of the University of Wisconsin. In their study, they found that bloggers in Madison, Wisconsin agreed that there was a certain set of principles that guided the way they posted online: for example, rants and personal attacks were not tolerated, and kneejerk reactions were deemed unhelpful (974). These tenets, common amongst bloggers, discourage any over-the-top emoting. Thus, it is apparent that citizen journalists can and will avoid being “hyper-opinionated” while expressing their own point of view.