Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives

The book draws to a close with Deuze’s (Chapter 21) assessment of the future of citizen journalism from three different perspectives: industry, audience, and convergence culture. The future of citizen journalism, he argues, “is about creating brand communities around the news”-often where communities of interest already exist, which explains the success of “hyperlocal” initiatives. Deuze also calls into question the promise and practice of online audience interaction, suggesting that “none of these forms of distributed conversation have real, permanent, or stable political power.” Beyond these critical perspectives, he settles on a more positive note by exploring how convergence culture may enable “a future citizen journalism where professional reporters and engaged citizens indeed co-create a public sphere within their communities of reference.”

Author: Mark Deuze