‘Citizen Journalism – democracy or chaos?‘ by Michael Buerk

As I watched the images of the bloody suppression of protests streaming out of Iran during the 2009 presidential elections I was amazed by the power of citizens to capture news that the authoritarian government could not effectively suppress.

Michael Buerk’s 2009 BBC documentary highlights the changing nature of the media due to technological advances that have spurred the growth of citizen journalism. He provides an analysis of whether this revolution, facilitated by increased access to information, is actually a positive contribution to journalism and society, or whether it is encouraging anarchy and compromising the accountability of the media.

It appears that citizen journalism will continue to play an increasingly important role in the media. An understanding of its value and also of its dangers is therefore essential for all journalists and citizens.

Jane Hosking is a Master of Global Communications student at La Trobe University. This piece is part of the ‘100 articles’ project. To see the list so far or to learn more about the project, including how you can contribute to it, click here.