The rise of the citizen journalist in Africa

The Rise of Citizen Journalism in Africa

-@Michael Rubenstein, Head of Aprio Africa division

While social media has transformed many sectors across Africa, nowhere has its disruptive force been more evident than in traditional media, where it has fundamentally altered how news is created, distributed, and consumed.

Citizen journalism defined

Citizen journalism is the practice of ordinary people sharing news and information. Unlike traditional journalism, this form of reporting is carried out by regular citizens who use their personal devices and social media platforms to document and share events happening around them. It is also known as “street journalism".

The democratisation of news

On the positive side, citizen journalism enables immediate, real-time reporting from locations that traditional media might not access. It also offers personal perspectives on events as ordinary citizens share their versions of the stories. This cost-effective method of information sharing often generates leads for traditional journalists to develop in-depth reports.

In Africa, whether it's covering local community events, documenting social injustices, or sharing breaking news, citizen journalists are filling crucial information gaps and providing perspectives that might otherwise go unheard.

The crisis of credibility

Every coin has two sides, and while there are benefits to citizen journalism, it comes with considerable challenges. A lack of fact-checking, potential bias in reporting, and quality control issues that affect the reliability of information are at the top of the list.

The spread of fake news can cause panic and raises serious ethical concerns about misinformation. This threat is amplified by social media's ability to instantly spread unverified content to millions.

Despite these challenges, the impact of citizen journalism on Africa's media ecosystem cannot be understated. It has become an essential tool for enabling communities to highlight issues that might be overlooked by mainstream media. Or bring their attention to these matters for further reporting. From rural developments to urban protests, citizen journalists are ensuring that local stories receive the attention they deserve.

The key challenge is striking a balance between maintaining democratised information sharing and maintaining ethical journalistic standards - a pivotal challenge in the evolution of citizen journalism.