Citizen Journalism and Global Narrative

While citizen journalism offers a perspective to the media that holds a sense of trueness and clarity, its effects are varied. It was extremely innovative as well as beneficial for the workings of Google Earth and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to put truly advanced technology to be used in a rather alternative method. Google Earth was able to utilize its satellite technology to provide information without any distortion. The findings discovered that “more than 3,300 Darfur villages as damaged or completely destroyed, twice the number that were confirmed when Crisis in Darfur launched in 2007.” [1] The satellite images provide a source that simply cannot be disputed. By using “before and after satellite images” it allows “the exact year or a year range when they (villages) were destroyed.” [1] In the video titled “The City of Lost Girls – Mexico”, it provides a chilling look into the abduction, rape and murdering of women in a particular part of Mexico. A reporter travels to the city in Mexico and provides viewers with videos trying to detail the horrific acts. [2] Citizen journalism provides, in many cases, an untold or more in depth story concerning a particular issue. It provides the world with truths that may have previously been unknown but also enlists a pain in learning of the horrors that are provided.

Social networks allow for perspectives from all individuals, all over the world. Anyone can post their thoughts on a particular event and can share their opinions publically. While a global narrative provides fact-based deliverance of the news, the social network dynamic takes this reporting and then provides its own interpretation. Twitter is an excellent example of how this system operates. When individuals “tweet” their thoughts on a particular issue, they can share their post followed by a link to which they are referencing. “Traditional Media” is the basis for the expanding and various other forms of media that is utilized each day. While traditional media itself continues to change, it still remains to be the basis for news reporting.

[1] Mapping Initiatives: Crisis In Darfur. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 2009. http://www.ushmm.org/maps/projects/darfur/. 20 January, 2011. Internet.

[2] The City of Lost Girls - Mexico. Journeyman Pictures. 14 April, 2008. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgfALPVnAew. 20 January, 2011. Internet.