The Truth about Mass Amateurization

In the book, Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky creates a clear visual of what Mass Amateurization is today. With the explosion of web bloggers and the popularity of many taking pictures at will, the world has changed dramatically. It is now evident that the traditional idea of what news is and how it is reported has changed. It has now fallen into the hands of everyday people. The average citizen is able to capture the local bridge collapsing before news reporters are able to arrive with their cameras and lights in which, "the mass amateurization of publishing undoes the limitations inherent in having a small number of traditional outlets."(Shirky 65)


To some this is a threat to the professional journalist. How is it that one can be trained for years and still not be able to capture the essence of "Breaking News?" Who filters the amateurs video or blog to determine fact from fiction? "The battle between the amateur and the professional is easier to understand, "in the same way you do not have to be a professional driver to drive, you no longer have to be a professional publisher to publish." (Shirky 66)This is Shirkys concern and well put. So how do we as journalist progress from this fear?



In the story 'Heather Can Write,' from the book " Convergence Culture" by Henry Jenkins the idea of marrying the ''Mass amateurization" idea with big media corporations, in which all parties benefit is very well displayed. A thirteen year old girl by the name of Heather Lawver created a website that resembled the "Daily Prophet," from the Harry Potter series. She explained that, " The Daily Prophet is an organization dedicated to bringing the world of literature to life.By creating an online "newspaper" with articles that lead the readers to believe this fanciful world of Harry Potter to be real, this opens the mind to exploring books, diving into characters, and analyizing great literature." (Jenkins 179) This was the idea behind "Fanfiction."

The other goal of Fan fiction was to appease the capitalistic world that we live in. Unfortunately, like the fear of the professional journalist, their is this idea that only one elite group can profit from anything that should have been created by a professional first.The company Fanlib was a free fanfiction outlet that was created by an entertainment lawyer and a media producer. They were like a wolf in sheeps clothing, "fanlib had done their homework by the standards of the venture capitalist world: they identified a potential market, they had developed a business plan; they had even identified potential contributors." They were able to even place in their rule book that, " completed work is just 1st draft to be polished by the pro's."(Jenkins 178) The ability of the "pro's" to take over is quiet disturbing when it comes to an amateurs work.  To justify these actions, as Shirky says, it is "because professionals are always concerned with threats to society; we do not want to see a relaxing of standards for becoming a surgeon or pilot."(Shirky 69)

pressinamerica.pbworks.com

One must remember that their is room for everyone. Everyone must play their part and know their rights. Not only are citizen journalists out in the field risking their lives to show the world the truth, they are also able to give the information for free to news companies to follow up and research to present the world with facts. Copy Right laws immediately go into effect because like Fan Fiction, "Content is vetted before going onto the site, with stories and videos made available to journalists for potentially developing into bigger...except that as soon as you post your prized video, " specific news stations, "get an unconditional, perpetual and worldwide licence to use it as it sees fit." (http://socialmediatoday.com/chris-measures/1430031/rise-citizen-journalism)

Social Media Today

 The big guys are legally able to take over citizens pieces of work to publish however they see fit. It is like an awkward team project where one person has done all the work and the others are riding on the backs and taking all of the credit. But this is America and this is how it will work until something changes where citizen journalists can be payed like professionals.

Picture Given by Google images

 Due to the facts, this not only a struggle between professionals and amateurs but also capitalism plays a major role in this cycle.  We live in a world where money makes the world go round. The amateur journalist and publishers have taken control of our media distribution without even trying. The "Professionals" are more concerned about losing their jobs, homes, and benefits. If their was a way to pay everyone equally I'm sure all would be fair in love and war. Professional Journalist should look at amateur journalist as them bringing the what as professionals bring the why, a joint venture in which all of humanity still benefits. Citizen journalists should learn their rights and understand the bigger picture of what is occurring when everyone works together to bring the big story.

Bibliography:
1. Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody. [London]: Allen Lane, 2008. Print.
2. Jenkins, Henry. "Heather Can Write." Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. 
New York: New York UP, 2006. N. pag. Print.
3. "The Rise of Citizen Journalism" by Chris Measures