Citizen journalism hinges on providing accurate, recent, and reliable news for the general public. To help the public make informed decisions, citizen journalists have to impart accurate news and information. Accuracy is the backbone of journalism. Therefore, news conveyed by citizen journalists ought to be factual; and when imparted news is true, the individual citizen journalist imparting that news is trusted and believed. Many citizen journalists strive to report accurate news to their audiences; however, some sensationalize and insert their opinions in news stories, thereby feeding the public with exaggerated and forged information.
While relating accurate information to audiences, citizen journalists also have to convey recent and relevant information that helps the audiences arrive at informed decisions. Recency (timeliness) is a news characteristic that shouldn’t be overlooked. As the word implies, news is something new. Thus, news has to provide the public with new information. This means events should be reported as they occur or shortly after they happen. Recency is among the key elements that determine the value of a news story. Realistic citizen journalists prioritize capturing and reporting events that are taking place at the moment or have just taken place. The quicker an event is conveyed, the more it grabs the public’s attention, without compromising news accuracy.
Reliability is another characteristic inherent in newsworthiness. Reliability refers to the trustworthiness of the information the particular citizen journalist presents to the public, including reported facts, and the credibility of cited sources. Disseminating reliable news makes citizen journalists credible and trusted. Hence, they should strive to pass on balanced, unbiased news and information to audiences.
Citizen journalists need to improve their reporting skills. They can enhance their journalistic skills by attending journalism conferences and workshops, and by regularly honing their performance in the form of journalism they practice, whether that is print or broadcast journalism. For example, citizen journalists engaged in print journalism can improve their reporting skills by reading a wide array of publications and critically analyzing presented viewpoints. They also have to understand and emulate varied forms and structures of writing adapted and crafted by professional journalists and writers.
Principled journalism encompasses the accuracy and timeliness of facts reported, the credibility of sources cited, and the overall integrity of news and information presented to the public. Accurate and recent news enables audiences to make wise, informed decisions. Citizen journalists must refrain from disseminating bogus information to the public. In the end, false information hurts the public in one way or another, and not everything posted on the internet is news. Genuine news should be accurate, recent, relevant, and a credible story.