The rise of Citizen Journalism - What it means for traditional sectors

While tens of millions of people around the world still seek domestic news and Bitcoin’s new label as a digital form of gold local newspapers, there has been a generational shift in how they consume media and local news stories. Citizen journalism is one of the main avenues many of us use to find news and the latest updates on stories.

Of course, this change has meant there’s been a significant shift in the dynamics of the market. It has led to us getting our news more rapidly, but the underlying sources and agendas are equally questionable as those of mainstream news. 

It has also led to a polarization of the media, where people seek out news and sources from individuals and media companies that align with their views, causing opinions to become more divisive, vociferous, and fragmented. There are pros and cons, though, and today we’re going to dive in and explore them.

Everything Going Digital

Twenty years from now, when a much larger chunk of the population will be computer literate and digitally aware, there’s a strong possibility that we could see the death of traditional media such as local newspapers and TV stations. 

Many of these companies have pivoted their brands to appeal to an online audience, taking inspiration from other media and entertainment fields that have transcended this boundary, such as the casino gaming world.

There was a time when casino gaming was seen as a conventional, land-based form of entertainment, which didn’t have the capacity to bring its payment systems, live tables, bandwidth, and appeal to a mass audience online. 

However, not only did companies adapt, but they also embraced new payment options like cryptocurrency, as detailed by the gaming library available at Joe Fortune. Digital-first solutions are becoming an integral part of the gambling world. 

The peer-to-peer nature of crypto and the blockchain has surpassed conventional payment options, especially for gamers who understand digital assets and have capitalized on Bitcoins new label as a digital form of gold. Citizen journalism has essentially done the same thing, cutting out the middleman of traditional legacy media and allowing journalists to create and connect directly with their audience. 

The Knock-On Effect Of Moving Multiple Sectors Online

The rise of citizen journalism has been well documented since the beginning of this decade. However, with billionaires now controlling the narrative and pushing their agendas across websites like X and Instagram, the power has shifted to the digital realm.

The rhetoric can be transnational and broad, unlike the fragmented local and national newspapers and media that played a significant role in shaping Western society during the latter half of the 20th century. 

The fact that it is much cheaper is a key selling point for millions of people who use sites like Instagram and TiKTok as their primary news source rather than paying for expensive newspaper and TV subscriptions. 

Every facet of the journalism industry has moved online to some degree. Sports like tennis are a great example, where podcasts, citizen journalism, and detailed breakdowns of Grand Slams like the 2025 Australian Open are available largely for free. That is, unless you don’t pay for YouTube and can stomach a few adverts now and again. 

Quality Over Quantity

Some citizen journalists, especially those on YouTube, spend most of their day churning out content, linking it to their social media channels, and focusing solely on growing their subscriber base rather than on factual journalism. 

Others will spend every penny they have traveling to all corners of the world, trying to get to the bottom of stories. They speak to the locals and put themselves in danger to extract the truth from a news item that can be an emotive topic to discuss. 

Ultimately, it can be a slippery slope. As long as people can find media that agrees with their opinion, they’re not going to spend time sourcing the story or the agenda that lies behind it.

Unlike traditional media, which has had to abide by laws and broadcasting regulations for the best part of a century, the rise of AI, citizen journalism, and poorly sourced, clickbait-style news, which often proves to be factually inaccurate, is a problem. 

Ideally, people will develop a more nuanced understanding of social media, recognizing that misinformation rampant on sites like X is often sold with a message and an agenda behind it. 

Traditional sources have moved into these worlds too, with many finding success on YouTube and TikTok. However, as this dynamic changes, traditional media faces a continual uphill struggle to remain as relevant in the modern world as they have been for large parts of the 20th century, and there are many citizen journalists who will step in and play this role instead.