In a world slowly being dominated by cyber media, what is left for the lowly traditional media to do? Instances such as the protests of elections in Iran leading to the death of a civilian named Neda, and that countries response to the event, are modern examples of how cyber media and citizen journalism are evolving into a highly effective, even preferred source of media today [1].
The case of Neda is just one of many involving citizen journalism in contemporary media. On the side of the pros, this method of journalism essentially unified a nation and opened the eyes of many. However, the cons involved must not be forgotten. A slew of individuals had to watch this young woman die and video tape the event to the best of their ability to inform the public. Not every citizen wants to be a journalist because not everyone can handle the responsibility that comes with it. There’s also the fact that, with citizen journalism, anyone can upload videos to the Internet trying to convince viewers of something that could be completely falsified.
This idea goes along with social networks as well. Social networks can unify communities and aid a number of useful tasks. On the other hand, social networks can lead to negative results such as cyber bullying and identity theft. However, seeing social networks are still in existence, the assumption is that the pros outweigh the cons.
Both citizen journalism and social networking are acting as tools in a global society that is stepping away from traditional media and engulfing itself within the media of the cyber. It is hard to imagine a world where one can turn on the television and find no sight of a news network in the traditional sense. But if things stay the same course as they are presently, this future will surely follow.
[1] For Neda. Dir. Anthony Thomas. HBO, 2010. Documentary.
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