India and Citizen Journalism May 27, 2006
Posted by rajAT in blog, citizen journalism, digg, india, media2.0, mom2.0, web2.0.trackback
Last evening, I gave an overview of Web 2.0 to my mother. I told her that now people can have their own digital diaries on internet. They can express their opinion on any topic and can share it with other people. This whole phenomenon is called Blogging. She said, "It is little weird my dear, Diaries are supposed to be personal". I told her that people write their views on politics, technology, sports etc. Some of them are personal also people write about their break offs with their girl friends and boy friends but then privacy was a 20th century problem. She couldn’t really come on terms with the privacy part.
After that I started showing her some blogs. Ajit Jaokar's OpenGardens was open on my laptop. She read open gardens and exclaimed, "Rajat show me this one". The word gardens have attracted her. My mom loves gardening and her Bonsai are very famous. I chuckled and said this is not about gardening but a mobile blog. She was not happy on listening this.
After that I started telling her that Media is no longer one way. It has become a lot more participative. She was quietly thinking and I was looking at her. She then said this means that now anybody can become a reporter. I was like YESSSS!!! I have not uttered a word about citizen journalism and she got there on her own. I got very excited and told her about that the best source of information on IRAQ is not CNN or BBC but a blog. People all over the world go to that website for unbiased information on IRAQ. Next thing on my radar was Ohmynews.com. I told her that all the news items published here are submitted by common people and not journalists. This gives so much power to common people like us as now we have a big forum to express our views. I told her that now we don't need a team of senior editors to decide which is bigger news and which new item should not be printed. Thanks to Digg.com where people decide which news goes on the top and which goes on the bottom. This is WE in WEB.
She was very impressed on listening to all this. And I ended my little lecture by saying that these changes are as big as the invention of printing press.
But after that I started thinking about why citizen journalism is so easy for Indians to get. This was 3rd or 4th time when I have given an overview of Web 2.0 to a person who uses internet barely. All of them jumped at citizen journalism. I think people especially Indians have lacked forums where they are heard, a place where they can go and speak about the problems like corruption, bureaucracy that have crippled the society. I can forsee a very bigger change that our society is going to witness in near future.
Can you?
Dream On ! 
i liked this one ….
Truly put. Different points of view is fun to read and fun to read your views as well. The counter point of blogging and reporting is put well in this post
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/384be1be-9eb1-11da-ba48-0000779e2340.html
web2.0 desh ki centi markae huh!! mast hai jee.
felt like had a lassi from Punjab.
[…] It is always a pleasure reading stories trying to bridge the digital gap between generations. Rajat explains Web 2.0 to his mother who instantly takes a liking to the concept of citizen journalism and “crowdsourcing” [hat tip: DO]. […]
Indeed many non-geeks are jumping at the web2.0 phemenon. It is interesting to note that geeks are trying out web2.0 stuff for a while and moving on to other geeky stuff.
Citizen journalism is not only about having digital diaries or blogs. It is really nice to see that some one follows OhMy news in India. But now we have a Indian version of it….www.merinews.com. I am a citizen journalist my self and is regular to Merinews. If interested check it out. Here is the link to one of my article:
http://www.merinews.com/newsPortal/JSP/catFull.jsp?articleID=238&catID=5&category=Sports
Sudipta thanks for the link.
Yeah I have seen merinews.com
It is very interesting.
Lets see how it will pan out here in India.
Thanks Sudipta to provide us link. Atleast we got one news site in india who offer participatory journalism, I just send my article and get published in no time.
merinews is doing great these days. it ahs tried to cover a lot of issues that the conventional media is not covering.. saw a lot of articles for sudipta but nothing frm u guys..
take a look at the site .. http://www.merinews.com
Citizen journalism is not only about clicking pictures and sending it to CNN-IBN. The real fans of citizen journalism is aware of merinews and laughs at CNN-IBN.
what your first stardoll
well email me before i hang up you email
your crazy bablu
Young Indian research Journalists starts Citizen Journalism In India
A community news portal http://www.citizenxpress.com has been launched in india by group of young indian research Journalists in december 2006.
The community new portal http://www.citizenxpress.com is research work of ABC Media Research and Development Center, the research wing of ABC News Network Private limited .This portal is fully dedicated to the cause of citizen involved journalism popularly called CITIZEN JOURNALISM. All news and information have their sources in citizens. They create news and information or witness the news but they have no relevance in news gathering, processing and publishing system of contempory media. The citizen journalism is the voices of all those citizens who are creating or witnessing news and information around them, the citizenxpress is an open platform for all those citizens.
Now a day’s fascinating proverb is being engineered i.e. for all (4 all).like education for all, health for all, justice for all etc but participation by all is no where in their agenda. This gives impressions that all who want to do some thing for all still not willing to relinquish their position of givers. Which always reflect in their actions vice versa. So there is urgent need of a platform, where all will act as givers as well as takers. Flow of knowledge can be from either sides depending on the need and requirements of situation.
Great site and interesting reading
Respected Sir,
· With deep respect I am bringing to your kind notice the following facts.
· My name is Smt. Shabana Feroz Basar and I was appointed as a Special Executive Officer by the Govt.of Maharashtra. My husband Shri.Feroz Ismail is an employee of Central railway and is working under CAO(C) C.Rly. He is an Office Bearer of the National Railway Mazdoor Union. We are residing in Railway Quarter No. RB/II/ 154/9 Western Railway Colony at Santacruz (E) opposite to the Control Tower.
· On the evening of 11/7/2006 when my husband reached near our residence on his way back with our son after his tuition classes the train blast took place. On seeing the situation created by the blast my husband rushed to the spot and rendered all possible help to the injured. Many injured person were pulled out from the bogie and from under the bogie. As our Railway Quarter was near to the spot he took bed sheets and clothes from our residence and collected the belongings of the victims, which were scattered all over. On seeing that the people were rushing to the Cooper Hospital, Baba Hospital Bandra
and other Hospitals situated at far off places my husband shouted and told them to go to the V.N.Desai Hospital, which was close by, and many were directed to that hospital. My husband saved many persons. The ACP, Santacruz (W), the police personnel and P.I. Shri Chavan had witnesses all the help that was being rendered by my husband and had appreciated it. The belongings which were scattered all over which was collected by my husband in a bedsheet were handed over to the Station Manager in presence of the Police personnel including the ACP. Later, Shri. Naval Bajaj DCP also arrived and hearing about the help rendered by my husband had patted him on his back. Most of these happenings had been telecast by different channel and been seen by the world at large. Later, my husband was given a Commendation Certificate {Samman Patra} in a function organized on 26th Sept. 2006 by an NGO in which Central and State Ministers, IPS, Fire Brigade and GRP personnel were present. Shri. Prithvirajji Chauhan Central Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Shri. R.R.Patil Deputy. Chief Minister, Maharashtra were present in the function and the Award {Commendation Certificate} was received by my husband at the hands of Shri. R.R. Patil, Dy. C.M. The only Railway employee who was given the Commendation Certificate was my husband Feroz Ismail. I am very deeply touched and thankful for the honour given to my husband by the Central and State Minister. However, I am deeply hurt that the Western Railway has not taken any cognizance of my husband’s efforts and though Western Railway had organized function to give awards to many people in connection with the blast my husband’s services were not even mentioned. Incidentally, I would like to respectfully state that my husband was given an Award by Shri. V.K.Kaul, the G.M., C.Rly in recognition of my husband’s tireless work in helping the victims of last year’s unprecedented floods of Mumbai. After the blast and tireless work in helpings the victims made a serious effect on his health and he became a multi disease person, i.e. High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and heart problem. Ultimately, he was operated for major bypass in Jaslok Hospital in Nov.2006.
· Thanking you,
§ Yours faithfully,
§ {Smt.Shabana Basar Feroz}
§ Special Executive Officer,
§ Govt.of Maharashtra.
Add:-} RB/II/ 154/9 W.Rly Colony 5th T.P.S Lane Santacruz (E) Mumbai-400055
Mobile:-> 9224696589/ 9820491130
Citizen Journalism is a latest concept and has made rapid strides in recent time and has certainly provided a platform for the common man to express his views on a wide range of subjects.
However, it is regretted that the National Print & Electronic Media which have wider readership/viewership have shunned the serious topics of public concern and preferred not to reproduce them, perhaps, out of professional rivalry or ego problem. Unless, the mass circulated dailies and news channels pick-up the articles, work hand in hand for a common cause and give them widest coverage, the efforts made by the portals will go waste and they will remain oblivion.
For example, the blogs created by me which can be accessed through Google search titled “How to uphold dignity and honour of judiciary in India?” and “Are bureaucrats a bane to the Indian Society?” which contain highly explosive and sensational news features of serious public concern have been left untouched by the print and electronic media which shows their narrow outlook.
e-mail:-samsrirao@gmail.com
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