David Hazinski writes in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

The premise of citizen journalism is that regular people can now collect information and pictures with video cameras and cellphones, and distribute words and images over the Internet. Advocates argue that the acts of collecting and distributing makes these people “journalists.” This is like saying someone who carries a scalpel is a “citizen surgeon” or someone who can read a law book is a “citizen lawyer.” Tools are merely that. Education, skill and standards are really what make people into trusted professionals. Information without journalistic standards is called gossip.

And these “journalistic standards” are being upheld in newsrooms around the country, right Dan Rather? I’m assuming Mr. Hazinski is familiar with the fact that controlling the news and the news media is a key tenet of fascism? If the people were satisfied with NBC Nightly News and 60 Minutes and CNN, there wouldn’t be a need for blogs and websites like this one. Everyone should seek out The Truth on their own, and not rely upon the spoonfed stories propped up by the Mainstream Media, regardless what “journalistic standards” they claim to have.

Self-policing of the media has resulted in biased, sensationalist media that cannot be trusted to  give us accurate reporting. It is this very conflict of interest that has given rise to “citizen journalism.”

As it turns out, Mr. Hazinski is an associate professor of telecommunications at the University of Georgia’s journalism school and former NBC reporter.

I think that’s also “a conflict of interest” which may contribute to “yellow journalism.”

The full article can be found here: Unfettered ‘citizen journalism’ too risky