Citizen journalism and its role in a communication student’s career were highlighted by ABS-CBN’s “Bayan Mo, I-Patrol mo” (BMPM) head Rowena Paraan during her talk on August 17.
Paraan flew in from Manila to speak in a forum dubbed as “Campus Talk” at the University of San Jose–Recoletos (USJ-R) Law audiovisual room.
The forum was one of the activities for TV Patrol Central Visayas’ 28th anniversary. The Cebu Alliance of Mass Communication Students (Cams) and a few professors attended the talk.
Paraan said that citizen journalism is a movement that encourages the people to get involved with their community and is a good method for local issues to be noticed and given action.
Most of the students raised the difference between a citizen journalist and a social media user.
Fourth year communication student Lorraine Mitzi Ambrad asked, “When can we say that someone is a citizen journalist most especially today that many social media users just post and post? Some even claim to be citizen journalists.”
Paraan differentiated that a citizen journalist is someone who follows the principles of journalism and takes responsibility of the content of his/her post while a mere social media user doesn’t take full accountability of his/her post and just posts random thoughts.
The talk ended with the students taking on the challenge of being citizen journalists in their own schools and communities.
Several e-mail addresses and social media sites were given to the students so they can submit their own work.
The use of “selfie reporting,” where one could use a phone for reporting issues, was also taught.
The campus talk was organized by ABS-CBN, USJ-R’s MassComm Coordinates and Cams.
It was the Cams’ and ABS-CBN Cebu’s second activity for the month of August under the segment Campus Patrol.
Last Aug. 24, a talent contest for Cams students was held at SM Seaside City. Tomorrow, August 31 at 3 p.m., is the live broadcast featuring the students at the same venue. /Cebu Normal University Communication Student Mary Nhel Dajao
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