Are Online Citizen Journalists Free of Traditional Restraints?

There are many restraints and a lot of red tape in the world of journalism. Online citizen journalists are free from these issues and are able to write under their own terms and in their own time. The differences between professional and citizen journalists include: accreditation, bias, editors, grammar, and endless topics. How are these differences related?

In order to get a job as a journalist, most radio and television stations and newspaper companies require a degree in journalism. Citizen journalists don't need a degree. They just have to be able to type. Posting on a blog and even commenting on an online article is considered online citizen journalism. Anyone can blog with or without a college degree. Citizen journalists aren't required any type of accreditation.

In traditional journalism, unbiased information is a standard. However, online citizen journalists can write about their thoughts and feelings on a particular subject. When I worked at a public radio station and reported news, I remember the news department manager editing my work and telling me "Keep your thoughts out of this. Only report the facts." Now, as an online social media writer, I can write all day long about my opinions and post it.

Editing is important for online citizen journalists. It's important to proofread and double check grammar and spelling, but it isn't a necessity. In professional journalism editing is imperative. Professional journalists usually have to turn in their writing to an editor before they can get it published. Usually the editing process can take longer than the writing process. After editing, re-writing, and editing even more, the work can sometimes seem like someone else's (the editor's) work. In citizen journalism, the writer is the editor.

Proper English, grammar, and diction sometimes fall by the wayside in online citizen journalism because there isn't an editor to double check the work. Yet, citizens can still publish their work regardless of the quality of writing. In the professional world, proper English, grammar, and diction are required and demanded. There is no room for error in traditional journalism.

When I was a reporter, I wanted to report on HAARP, or the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program. My news director told me no. She said it had no relevance to our audience. I respected her response, but I still wanted to report it. As an online citizen journalist, I can write about anything. The topics are endless. If I want to talk about how my son's giant Winnie the Pooh Bear stuffed animal got stuck in the washing machine, I can. There's no one to tell me I can't. This is a major difference between citizen journalism and traditional, professional writing.

Online citizen journalists are free from the traditional restraints to which professional journalists must adhere. That's not to say that citizen journalists shouldn't present themselves as professional, because I believe they should. However, there's no one to report to, no one to tell them no, and no one to stand in their way from publishing their work.