One of the research papers at the Future of Journalism conference in Cardiff analysed the attitudes of local journalists in the UK towards user-generated content.
My colleague, Jane Singer, interviewed local journalists working for the Johnston Press to uncover their views on involving the public in the journalistic process.
She found that local journalists see UGC as contributing to the journalism they produce. But material from the public was seen as complementing, rather than replacing professional work.
The journalists saw themselves as UGC gatekeepers, citing concerns about resources to manage UGC, quality of contributions and legal liabilities.
This approach is understandable at a time when the local press in the UK is in trouble and newsrooms are shrinking. So journalists may feel under even more pressure to justify why they are necessary.
Interestingly, the most valuable audience content was material that journalists themselves either didn’t have time to cover or was well below the news radar.
This included community event listings, coverage of community events, youth sports coverage and traffic or travel updates.
Singer had some sympathy for the local journalists. They said a theoretical value in UGC as a way to promote a democratic discourse.
But at the same time, they are worried about their jobs and struggling to do their job amid declining resources and increasing demands.
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