Modul Mata Kuliah Journalisme Online - Ayo Menulis FISIP UAJY

umour and assumption; a free-for-all where any opinion has the same amount of credibility and value
as any other. Martin & Hansen examine various critical approaches on this issue, drawing the conclusion
that “it isn't that people can't get diverse information swiftly; it's that people can't decided what is
significant, relevant and useful while dispensing with unwanted information” (Martin & Hansen, 1998,
p.45). That, unfortunately, is the core issue; that without professional investigation, reported events are
relayed as opinion and supposition. We expect the news to tell us the truth, but if our trust in journalists
is waning, why should we turn to the public arena. What credibility does it posses that we hold it more
reliable than the word of those trained to be objective, who seek to be accurately informed. Only
professional practice can offer trained, impartial opinion on news, or any other issues. The conveyance
of facts and figures, in a delicate situation, is best left to those who have studied the law and ethics of
such problems.
Perhaps then, the answer is not to look on citizen journalism as a threat, but instead as a balanced
opposer to professional practice; as independent film-makers are to Hollywood production companies.
What must not be allowed is for the mass media to replace professional practice and become the sole
source of information. Maybe the threats of citizen journalism should be considered not as threats, but
additions. The balance of company-funded journalists with the constraints of public publishing, who may
be tempted toward bias or corruption, with the free, community sourced media. The rigid limitations of
the former cancelled, or harmonised by the latter. Equally, the professional deficit of training in law and
ethics can be enforced by those journalists who have studied their craft. In all media; photography,
writing, music, art, there are professionals and amateurs who interact within the same space of
coverage, why can this not exist in journalism? This balance between those who are trained and those
not, keeps the level of work produced as a whole interesting, with tight technical proficiency, balanced
by freshness and work that breaks through boundaries, challenging the landscape of the craft. Citizen
journalism challenges professional practice, forcing it to change, to acknowledge its own faults and be
proud of its standing as a valuable source of information. The two offer to each other a method of selfanalysis,
a check and balance system for an assessment of how their work matches to their intent.
Since the rise of citizen journalism, spurred by the Web 2.0 generation, professional journalism has
constantly faced an opposition. What citizen journalism offers to the general public is a chance for them
to speak out on issues they feel need to be brought to public attention. It also allows the 'common man'
to question the motives and sources of commercial reporters, either due to bias or inaccuracy. Not only
this, but it offers a free, open exchange of information and opinions. However, with this comes the
problem of unregulated media. Without an independently fact-checking source, the independent
articles within the free media have no validation as to their accuracy, nor can they be excused of bias. As
a whole, it offers every viewpoint, every position on an issue, but it the responsibility then lies with the
reader to assess the piece objectively. Professional journalism removes this need as its practitioners are
trained and expected to remain objective. Unfortunately, individuals may not uphold this, but the free
media is not a solution, more a balanced weighing tool.
Bibliography
Allan, S. (2005) Journalism ; Critical issues. McGraw-Hill International.
Baase, S. (2008) A gift of fire: social, legal, and ethical issues for computing and the Internet. Prentice
Hall.
Gillmor, D. (2006) We the media: grassroots journalism by the people, for the people. O'Reilly.
Keeble, R. (2001) Ethics for Journalists. Routledge.
Keen, A. (2007) The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing our Culture.
Doubleday/Currency:California.