Journalists versus “citizen” journalists

A few months ago I was watching journalist George Stroumboulopoulos interview Hilary Clinton on his CBC show, The Hour. What a smart show. What a smart interview. I was impressed with the journalist's research, the informed questions he asked and Clinton's responses. She's a smart cookie that really knows her international relations.

I'm coming a bit late to the game I realize, as I just recently got cable (because of the Olympics) and we haven't bothered to get rid of it yet.

It really made me realize there aren't a lot of smart shows with real journalists out there anymore. With social media and reality TV we've now got what is known as citizen journalists. It seems everyone can report on what's happening around the world. That can be a breakthrough when a natural disaster hits Haiti or people protest regimes in Iran. But the ability to publish does not a journalist make and we need to ensure we never mix up the two. George's interview with Hilary confirmed that for me.

I recently had the opportunity to participate in editorial boards with our various media in town. The various boards were made up of journalists, producers, editors and columnists. I was impressed with their expertise and it restored my faith in the world of journalism. It also made me realize we need to ensure we protect the job of journalists. They are trained professionals who are required to stand by a code of ethics which ensures they report fairly and impartially on stories of the day. They do this by doing their research and asking tough questions. They do this with our help - their readers, listeners and viewers.

I hope we support our local media because I would hate to see professional reporting go the way of the Dodo bird. I do think "citizen journalism" has added a rich layer and texture to the dialogue. It's dynamic, immediate and often compelling. But I hope it doesn't completely replace the "old" style journalism.