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With reference to one specific issue of your choosing, identify and critically evaluate

changes in the working practices of journalists

This essay will refer to the issue of professional boundaries; critically evaluate the

Pro-Am model and how this is changing the working practices of journalists. Pro-Am

model is the hybrid term used for citizens, also known as amateur, and professional

journalists together in the work of journalism (Burns: 2011: 132).

The birth of the amateur producer can be dated back to the radical press when

journalism shifted towards ‘a collective identity through popular and contemporary

issues (Conboy: 2004: 91). This shift saw more amateur writer’s work being shown

with popular culture due to mainstream newspapers being too politically biased.

There are a couple of reasons for the shift from mainstream journalism to the Pro-Am

model within working practices. One being the Internet with ‘the emergence of a new

information environment, one in which individuals is free to take a more active role’

(Benkler: 2006: 2). Another being the ‘economics of the market have combined with

technology to produce significant changes in its organization, distribution and

content’ (Conboy: 2004: 165). These changes caused a decrease of profit and required

a change in working practices to make the industry more affordable (McQuail: 2013:

182).

A key reading illustrating the Pro-Am model is Bruns chapter in News Online (2011).

Within the chapter she explains and defines citizen journalism, their connection with

the journalist approach. Burns explains citizen journalism practice as ‘sites are vast,

and though each cover only a particular slice of the news, in combination this flotilla

of large and small sites and projects nonetheless manages to address virtually all the

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beats covered by mainstream news organizations’ (Burns: 2011: 133). This practice

has then been developed into the Pro-Am model. An advantage of Citizen journalism

relays news very quickly – possibly before the news organizations.

Burns looks at a Pro-Am case study: Youdecide2007.org (ibid: 2011: 140) this is a

news website about the Australian federal election. The framework and staff members

for these sites was very professional using citizen contributors. One of the key areas

of responsibility was the editing of content for the website. Pro-Am models like this

case study cut down the cost but only employ the professional staff members with the

content being free. This is a great change to the normal professional boundaries of

journalists. This shows how this development will save money by not paying writers

but the management of Pro-Am is still professionally run.

Another example showing the shift between the boundaries of journalism being a

professional work practice is in the award system. The Eppy (Eppy: 2013) and the

Online News Association (Online News Association: 2013) have shifted their awards

towards more amateur producers. Evidence of this is shown on their websites. In 2013

awards Eppy gave the following awards; Best Citizen Journalism and Best use of

social media (Eppy: 2013). This is also shown on the Online News Association with

awards such as; Excellence in Online Journalism (Online News Association: 2013).

All of these awards have been developed within recent years with the change to the

workplace, which is happening.

Pro-am models ‘help build social capital: networks of relationships that allow people

to collaborate, share ideas… allow people to trust one another more easily, thus

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helping and allow people to trust one another’ Leadbeater has written on the rise of

the professionals and pro-am models not only in journalism but other fields show and

this indicates a positive change in the working practices. (Leadbeater: 2005).

McQuail analyses changes work practices and he explains ‘with the economic decline

of many newspapers, have led to reduction of work opportunities of the traditional

kind’ (McQuail: 2013: 182). His argues that amateurs writing blogs lower the

standards of journalism and may not be accurate or confirmed. He explains ‘the new

forms of news do further cloud the old issue of what precisely counts as journalism’

(ibid: 2013: 183). His understanding of the changes of the work practices is not as

positive as Leadbeater or Burns. (Burns: 2011: 133).

Lee explains about the tensions in the workplace caused by the pro-am model within

journalism. ‘There is a growing tension between amateur writers and professional

journalists these days, and it is exactly this pro-am model that speaks to Examiner's

ambitions’ (Lee: 2010). He uses the Huffington Post as an example of how 6,000

unpaid people contributed content. He understands that companies such as the

Huffington Post are exploiting the model of pro-am. However it is possible for

professional as well as amateur writers to build up their portfolio.

Within Burns (2011) example of the German site myHeimat, this type of site can also

be useful within a local environment. While news cover might not be as detailed, due

to lack of funding. This type of citizen journalism within a pro-am model is very

useful to keep residents informed of local news. This is one example of how pro-am

model has been successful in a local setting, evidenced by the fact that in 2008 it won

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a European Newspaper Award for its innovative pro-am approach (Burns: 2011: 143).

Example like this show that the pro-am model has pushed professional boundaries but

in a good way by supplying good local news coverage that people or want to read and

write about it.

This is a model that can work both ways as is shown in Leadbeater’s article in how

this is shaping professionals. It understands that collaboration is a good way to build

relationships and to share ideas. This step towards collaborate work is also shown in

other forms of media like YouTube and Wikipedia as explained in David Gauntlet’s

work ‘Media Studies 2.0’ (2009). Since the development of the Internet collaborative

practices generally have influenced many fields; education for example …

Perhaps it’s inevitable therefore that the working practices of journalism are affected.

As industries are changing within this modern world, working practice of journalism

are changing and the affecting boundaries of what a professional is?

This essay has discussed scholars writing on the journalism model pro-am and how it

is changing the working practice of journalists. As this paper has shown the working

practices have changed for a number of reason including technology and finance.

Such changes have been due to the pro-am model. With citizen journalism being such

a large part of this model the issue of professional boundaries have started to shift

over time. But the professionals within this model are still very much in charge of

management and editing content. These case studies have raised the issue of whether

these changes of practices are beneficial for us the audience or the producers.

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Bibliography

Benkler, Yochai. (2006) The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms

Markets and Freedom. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Bruns, A. (2011) ‘News produsage in a pro-am mediasphere: why citizen journalism

matters’. In Meikle, G. and Redden, G. eds. News Online: Transformations and

Continuities. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, p.132-147.

Conboy, M. (2004) ‘From New Journalism to the web’. In Journalism: A Critical

History. London: Sage, p.165-187.

Eppy. 2012 EPPY Award Winners [Online] Available from:

http://www.eppyawards.com/Content/Past_2012_Winners-29-.aspx [Accessed 24

November 2013].

Gauntlett, D. (2009) ‘Media Studies 2.0: a response’. Interactions: Studies in

Communication & Culture,’ 1 (1): 147-157.

Online News Association. 2013 Awards [Online] Available from:

http://journalists.org/awards/2013-awards/ [Accessed 24 November 2013].

Leadbeater, C & Miller, P. (2004) The Pro-Am Revolution. Pamphlet

Lee, E. (2010) ‘The craigslist effect spreads to content as free work fills supply’ in

Advertising Age. 81 (26).

McQuail, D. (2013) ‘Changing Media Technology’. In Journalism and Society.

London: Sage, p.171-194.