The rise and rise of UGC

Examples
Tsunami in 2004
Los Angeles police officers beat up a man after a high speed chase
London bombings


Benefits to institutions
Its cost nearly nothing for institutions to get videos from citizens, which means they will not have to fork out money on professionals to do the job for them. It may be exclusive, which means people will have to go onto that particular institution's channel to see that footage.

Benefits to audience
The footage has less chance of being biased and staged, which makes the audience more inclined to believe the news is true.

Wider issues and debates
What happens to the journalist if more and more citizen footage becomes available?
Will citizen journalist get paid as its becoming more and more of a help to institutions?

SHEP

Social
Social media now sees videos before the news, meaning that news isnt breaking anymore due to the amount of people knowing about it.

Historical
Camera phones were limited so, it was harder to video events. Therefore the was less citizen journalism before.

Economical
Right now it cost alot less to get a citizen video than it does for a professional to video the scene where the drama has already happened.

Political



Questions

What is meant by the term ‘citizen journalist’?

A: The concept of citizen journalism is based upon public citizens "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing, and disseminating news and information

What was one of the first examples of news being generated by ‘ordinary people’?

A: The LAPD beating up a man, got caught on video

List some of the formats for participation that are now offered by news organisations.

A:message boards, chat room, Q and A, have your says, blog, social media

What is one of the main differences between professionally shot footage and that taken first-hand (UGC)?

A:Quality 

What is a gatekeeper?

A :A gatekeeper is an organisation who decides what is shown on the news. They have the final say.

How has the role of a gatekeeper changed?

What is one of the primary concerns held by journalists over the rise of UGC?