You Can't Keep the Devil From The Media (Cultural Diversity Online)

Famously, the Australian media market is known as one of the most concentrated in the first world, in terms of ownership. The recent amendments to media and communication policy by the Australian Communications and Media Authority have allowed for traditional news to be dominated by major media conglomerates. Policy amendments such as relaxation of cross media ownership allow for media barons such as Rupert Murdoch to gain a stranglehold on the market. To give some sort of indication of the degree of concentration within news media, it should be pointed out the News Limited controls almost three quarters of Australian daily metropolitan newspapers. The following is a list of Australian papers which operate under the News Limited umbrella:

* The Australian (Nationwide)

* The Weekend Australian (Nationwide)

* The Courier-Mail (Queensland)

* The Sunday Mail (Queensland)

* The Cairns Post (Cairns, Queensland)

* The Gold Coast Bulletin (Gold Coast, Queensland)

* Townsville Bulletin (Townsville, Queensland)

* The Daily Telegraph (New South Wales)

* The Sunday Telegraph (New South Wales)

* The Herald Sun (Victoria)

* The Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria)

* The Weekly Times (Victoria)

* MX (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane CBDs)

* Geelong Advertiser (Geelong, Victoria)

* The Advertiser (South Australia)

* The Sunday Mail (South Australia)

* The Sunday Times (Western Australia)

* The Mercury (Tasmania)

* The Sunday Tasmanian (Tasmania)

* Northern Territory News (Northern Territory)

* The Sunday Territorian (Northern Territory)

Therefore it can be seen that in capital cities, the majority of publications are produced by a single media conglomerate, and subjecting vast audiences to their chosen bias or political agenda. Take Brisbane for example, most typical audiences would read both or either The Courier Mail and The Sunday Mail, and both are owned and operated by News Corp. Likewise, the National hard news favourite and supposedly most objective paper, The Australian is also owned by News Corp. And this trend is present across all Australian and international traditional news media. And as previously stated has fostered a concentrated media environment with a not so hidden political agenda, where audiences are offered a fairly one sided portrayal of news and current affairs.

This is why citizen journalism is so important! It mimics the American constitutional ideal of freedom of speech. Gatekeepers are eliminated, and the prestige and aristocracy of the fourth estate is ignored and non-professionals are given the platform to present their story. Of course, this form of news and current affairs is far from objective, and without the watchful eye of the editor...anything can be published, and credibility and accuracy can be compromised. However, citizen journalism presents an opportunity for minorities who are typically ignored or misrepresented by traditional news media to have a voice.

One of the best examples of this is the youth demographic. A sizable moral panic has emerged surrounding the supposed belief that the youth simply don't engage with news media anymore. Youth audiences (typically those aged between 12 and 28) are chronically misrepresented and isolated by traditional news media, and it is for this reason that they find citizen journalism to be a more attractive alternative. The news media has always marginalized and excluded youth audiences. Young people are often portrayed as somehow essentially different as and often as mysterious freaks on nature. This ‘new generarationalism' not only blames youth for creating their own problems, but also for contributing to a culture where young people are increasingly feared and marginalised. And as a result, youth audiences have taken to citizen journalism through access to online platforms such as YouTube and blogging sites such as this one. Citizen journalism is more appealing to this demographic because as aforementioned, it differs greatly from traditional gate kept media in the sense that anyone can have an opinion without being a journalist. There is also a lot of freedom in regards to the medium you use and what you can say. There is editor scrutinizing your words or political persuasion you have to adhere to. Possibly the largest advantage is that the citizen journalism is being produced by young adults for young adults. Therefore providing engaging and relevant content which appeals to the demographic far more than traditional sources of news.

Citizen journalism represents a very important part of media consumption and production. For one it highlights the transition into a generation of online produsers, hereby illustrating the altered position of the consumer, highlighting their new found participatory and nomadic cultural identity. Also citizen journalism minimises the effects of media concentration, and allows the general population to make up their own mind and believe what they want to believe. It teaches audiences to question and evaluate what they read, and not take everything at face value, hereby fostering the democratization of news and current affairs.

References:

Harrington, S. 2007. “The Kids Just Don’t Read Newspapers No More Pt. 1”

7. [Lecture: KCB102]

Mindich, D. 2005 . How Tuned Out Are They? In Tuned out: why Americans under 40 don't follow the News, ed. D. Mindich. 18-33. NY: Oxford.

Saunders, B. 2007. “The Kids Just Don’t Read Newspapers No More Pt 2: Blogging, citizen journalism and web 2.0” 9. [Lecture: KCB102]