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Citizen journalism is the practice of an ordinary person or a group of ordinary people in the process of collecting, reporting, analysing and disseminating news information. These practices have been necessitated by, among other things, increased global digitization. Over the years, citizen journalism has been regarded as illegitimate, unprofessional, unconsolidated, uncoordinated and even ungoverned. This study hopes to contribute to the thin body of literature on citizen journalism in Africa. This ethnographic case research was carried out at Kibera News Network in Nairobi. The study sought to examine the extent to which their practice was consistent with the practice of journalism, how their practice supplemented and complimented the news and information ecosystem within their locality and how their practice is challenging the practice in legacy media. Key findings in this study indicate that although the citizen journalists were not trained journalists, they were aware of the expectations of journalism, their practice contributed to the news and information ecosystem in Kibera and their focus on some of their news and information production challenged the focus of news and information productions on Kibera in legacy media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of citizen journalism in the improvement of slums through the Voice of Kibera (VoK) case study. To meet the research objectives, both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied. The study used content analysis, a survey and interview techniques. It concluded that citizen journalism in the VoK uses a participatory, bottom-up approach, with the residents taking a lead role in the production and consumption of news, and that it plays its part in improving the lives of people in Kibera, contributing to governance and processes of democracy. The core development values of participation and empowerment are central to this study, which examines how these values are being impacted on by information technology interventions in the communications area. The research also concludes that citizen journalism may be sustainable if it is financed, promoted, resourced with professional journalists, equipped with new technologies and citizens continue to participate. Lack of cooperation from the audience, finance both for the running of the project, salary and technical problems were cited as the major challenges of citizen journalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sizable portion of our everyday knowledge about sub-Saharan Africa comes from the work of international news reporters on the continent. The profession of foreign correspondent constituted itself around a group of privileged witnesses of history, often immersed in a mythological aura, but the emergence of digital media has established some tension around a destructuration-restructuration of the journalistic field. The rhetoric of the pro-am revolution signifies the end of an era for international journalism due to the rise of citizen journalism. This research assesses how professional international news reporters are repositioning themselves in a transforming communicative environment, and how they interpret their own occupation and the role of rising actors in the transnational mediasphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tremendous boost of new media technologies has given birth to the phenomenon of Citizen Journalism which has become an integral part of the modern-day societies. For people who formerly had no chance of being heard, citizen journalism is a great opportunity of participation for them. Moreover, the common people cannot only comment on stories, they are providing resources and information beyond the scope of the mainstream media. Especially in countries without a free press bloggers, photo and video journalists can give underrepresented and underprivileged segments of society a voice and add to the media diversity. They are making their ways through censorship and enable cross-border dialogue. As in Iran, as in Zimbabwe or in Kenya and even in Pakistan during the last elections, they have made a real difference. This paper presents an overall view of the citizen journalism (CJ) in the world and its effects on traditional media as well as on society at large. The paper. also presents the situation of CJ in Pakistan. The paper concludes that the best quality news can be produced with the mutual cooperation of traditional journalism as well as citizen journalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper utilises Hall's (1977) 'encoding-decoding' theory in the context of critical political economy theories of the media and cultural studies to explain the political, economic and cultural factors that influence media operation and content both at a macro and micro level. While political economy provides the setting in which the Kenyan media operates, cultural studies show how media content is not only shaped by the political and economic environments comprising those in power positions. Audiences are also actively engaged in the process of meaning construction. Considering Hall's (1977) encoding-decoding theory, the audiences can reject, negotiate or accept media content based on their own value systems and cultural orientation. Meaning, therefore, becomes a product of continual struggle between different discourses and power cannot be located in a top down manner as to who influences meaning as seen in a propaganda model. This is due to the fact that texts are diffused in different locations in society. The 2008 Kenya Communication Bill is utilised as an example to trace briefly the political and historical developments of policy issues that have influenced the Kenyan media. The Bill, furthermore, indicates how a weak socio-economic, political and cultural environment is marred by ineffectual policies meant to safeguard and guarantee the freedom of the press as an extension of individual freedom of expression as enshrined in the Kenyan constitution. This weak policy context has ensured the Kenyan media remains subject to easy political manipulation and control. However, the paper concludes by showing how citizen journalism is growing out of a regulated mainstream media through internet technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the role of the media during the two months of postelection crisis in 2008 in Kenya. We discuss how people exchanged information during and after the media ban and analyze online discussions and media coverage. Particular emphasis is given to the role of the social media, such as Web 2.0 communication tools and services, which enable citizens to interact or share content online. Our analysis shows that during the crisis, the social media functioned as an alternative medium for citizen communication or participatory journalism. This experience has important implications for the process of democratization in Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]