(UPDATED) Citizen journalists must adhere to standards, says professor

by Acor Arceo

Citizen journalists must first be scrutinized and should adhere to journalism standards, says a University of the Philippines professor.

"Despite the opportunities offered by the new media, we must keep in mind that journalistic outputs are mainly used to reach out to audiences," says Danilo Arao, journalism assistant professor, in a speech delivered in 2006.

"It is imperative for a [person] to know the principles and standards of journalism before calling himself or herself a journalist."

In the Philippines, one site for citizen journalists is PinoyBee, "the first user-powered Filipino news community."

"The community strives to connect, entertain and inform readers on a variety of matters," states PinoyBee on its site.

Its topics range from technology, sports, and religion, to show business, fashion, sex, and food. Correspondents from Manila, Davao, Boracay, Cebu, and other parts of the country regularly post articles.

Over 4,100 articles have been posted by PinoyBee's top users, who are encouraged to post "stories important to you [and] to Filipinos worldwide."

In the case of PinoyBee, anyone with an e-mail address may become a correspondent. A person just has to select a username and password then submit articles for posting. This could pose problems in verifying the truthfulness of information.

Arao adds that informing through cyberspace is a task not to be taken lightly.

"The Internet has become a venue for interest groups to relay their messages, putting up websites and e-groups, among others, to reach out to online users. They all have something in common: They claim to know the truth and they try their best to be as convincing as possible," he says.

However, Merinews, the first citizen journalism site in India, explains the importance of citizen journalism.

"In this world where every media house is driven by a motive to earn revenue, it is bound to happen that news that is important to you and me is often pushed back," states Merinews. "Citizen journalism is breaking free of this media bias. It is about writing on issues whichyou feel are important. It is about telling the world your views."

Revisit the writings on the wall

by Erika Tapalla

Art that is familiar yet overlooked; generated not for purchase, trade, or retail but shared in every city anyhow. It’s called graffiti, street art, writings on the wall, or even vandalism. But whatever term it masquerades behind, it remains catchy and a powerful way for nonconformists to get noticed. But is there really all there is to this risky endeavor? Does it deserve a second glance?

Using a spray paint as the primary tool for executing a piece, graffiti is illegal when it defaces public or private property. Nothing new there. But when the sun has gone to bed, artists scurry about to the thrill of creating a new piece to mark their existence in their time and context. Their work is lyrical and political. Their work is a response to the world they are moving in.

23-year-old “Bonz” believes in expressing his art in the street to add color and meaning to our familiar surroundings. Together with his crew from SBA or Samahang Batang Aerosol, they release stress and emotion and spray the walls with the colors of the rainbow. “Some of our works are preserved in playgrounds, basketball courts 'cause it’s a production. The talent of a writer really comes out in the details of the piece,” says Bonz.

Bonz’s creations are inclined and centrifugal to the Filipino culture. Characters have Filipino attributes, or recreations of favorite cartoon characters that play a large role in a lot of Filipino children’s childhood.

Although the graffiti movement has long been present in the global culture, Bonz believes it has yet to really cultivate in the country. It is only during election period when graffiti is actually noticed – when obvious contempt for a candidate is depicted by adding horns to his head, blood dripping from its mouth, or simply spraying the entire face until it can no longer be noticed. Just for kicks? Maybe not.

June 12 2007, TIME Magazine’s Stephanie Kirchner released an article entitled Remembering the Wall showcasing the 1.3 km East Side Gallery decorated with colorful murals illustrating Berlin’s history, culture and politics. October 2005, a photo essay entitled Art of the Street, street artists and their provocative works were featured to show more depth to a mere drawing. Even years ago, artist Shepard Fairey conceptualized the Obey Giant graffiti campaign aiming to “reawaken a sense of wonder about one’s environment; stimulate curiosity; and bring people to question both the campaign and their relationship with their surroundings,” and succeeding to revitalize one’s attention to detail.

Reawaken. Stimulate. Question -- this is what united people of different races to commune with each other through intense visuals. Graffiti was used to tell their story that surprisingly indirectly affects different people; and trigger action. Quite subdued and recognized for mere aesthetic purposes, graffiti offers a dose of hope and a gulp of freedom to many.

Look long. Look hard.

Citizen journalism vs. traditional media

by Acor Arceo

With the rising popularity of citizen journalism, critics have raised the question of whether it can be as reliable as traditional media.

Merinews, the first citizen journalism site in India, explains the importance of citizen journalism.

“In this world where every media house is driven by a motive to earn revenue, it is bound to happen that news that is important to you and me is often pushed back,” states Merinews. ”Citizen journalism is breaking free of this media bias. It is about writing on issues which you feel are important. It is about telling the world your views.”

Since its inception last year, Merinews has been advocating citizen journalism in India.

In the Philippines, one site for citizen journalists is PinoyBee, “the first user-powered Filipino news community.”

“The community strives to connect, entertain and inform readers on a variety of matters,” states PinoyBee on its site.

Its topics range from technology, sports, and religion, to show business, fashion, sex, and food. Correspondents from Manila, Davao, Boracay, Cebu, and other parts of the country regularly post articles.

Over 4,100 articles have been posted by PinoyBee’s top users, who are encouraged to post “stories important to you [and] to Filipinos worldwide.”

However, Danilo Arao, a journalism assistant professor at the University of the Philippines, stresses in a speech why citizen journalists must be scrutinized.

“Despite the opportunities offered by the new media, we must keep in mind that journalistic outputs are mainly used to reach out to audiences,” he says. “It is imperative therefore for a [person] to know the principles and standards of journalism before calling himself or herself a journalist.”

In the case of PinoyBee, anyone with an e-mail address may become a correspondent. A person just has to select a username and password, then submit articles for posting on the site. This could pose problems in verifying the truthfulness of information.

Arao adds that informing through cyberspace is a task not to be taken lightly.

“The Internet has become a venue for interest groups to relay their messages, putting up websites and e-groups, among others, to reach out to online users. They all have something in common: They claim to know the truth and they try their best to be as convincing as possible,” he says.

“Despite the advances in modern technology there is still a need to go back to the fundamentals of journalism and the journalists’ basic task of shaping public opinion.”

THE WIRED4NEWS REPORTERS

ACOR ARCEO

Acor Arceo is a senior Communication major obsessed with details, to-do lists, and campus journalism. She likes morbid, challenging stories, writing leads last, and editing at 3AM. She also can’t write unless the deadline is hours away, and usually gets close to killing herself in the process. For Acor, pressure is the way to go. After graduation, she wants to travel, travel, and travel.

REDDIE CHUA

Reddie first engaged in journalism when his grade school teacher forced him to join the school paper. Since then, he has been in love with the craft, and promised to make a living out of it someday. Now a senior Communication major, he has been writing investigative and explanatory reports for The GUIDON, the Ateneo’s college newspaper, since his freshman year. He still wants to become a journalist someday—or right after he graduates next year—even if it cannot make him rich.

ALLAN LAZARO

When Allan was a young kid, he would often tell his cousins that he wanted to be an engineer like his father. After meeting algebra in high school though, it was clear that he had to pursue his other dream—to be a journalist. Already a senior Comm major in the Ateneo, Allan continues to realize his dream by writing explanatory and investigative articles for The GUIDON’s Inquiry section. He is also the the editor in chief of COMMotion, the Ateneo Association of Communication Majors’ official magazine.

ERIKA TAPALLA

Erika is in love with the arts and other demonstrations of human intellectual achievement that revolve around the term “culture”. Presently a senior Communication major in a Jesuit university commonly known as Ateneo, she relishes freelancing in magazines such as Lifestyle Asia, METRO and meg to keep prolific, and wishes to inspire in her column in COMMotion. Rock music soothes her, coffee is literally her water, and meeting people who are instrumental in the world’s progression sends her blood pumping.