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CITIZEN JOURNALISM and STORYTELLING 101

What is a citizen journalist?

We are all storytellers. Dont believe this statement? Think about the most recent conversation you had with a friend, family member or coworker. Did you describe any of a series of events that you or someone else experienced? How about an obstacle that you had to overcome? (I almost missed that meeting because I got stuck in traffic, but then I found a shortcut.) Storytelling is how weve passed our culture along from one generation to the next; its how were entertained, and its how we raise our children and communicate with everyone around us. And a good story is created from a basic formula: Whos your protagonist (hero)? What are the obstacles? How does the protagonist overcome these obstacles? A well-told story doesnt just skip to people living happily ever after. We want to know what happened to lead up to that happy ending. We also have to remember that sometimes there arent happy endings to a story. Often in journalism, we profile someone who has accomplished something, and we like to find out this persons path to the present. More likely than not, there were obstacles standing in the way between a person and his or her goal. We also like stories about everyday people. A well-told story enables us to experience these ups and downs. It puts us in someone elses shoes. With journalism, we typically look at a factual representation and retelling, but as with stories, people like to read about real people overcoming real obstacles. Its this natural storytelling ability that equips us with the basic tools we need to be citizen journalists. Because, at its heart, journalism is a form of storytelling. But there are some guiding principles, rules and guidelines that will help you more effectively tell a story as a citizen journalist. First, lets try to define a citizen journalist: its a public, participatory or street journalist, a member of the public who plays an active role in collecting, reporting, analyzing or disseminating news and information. Basically, its anyone with an

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com interest in sharing information with others. And its someone who is interested in collecting and sharing stories. The reader has become the media in many regards -- we share news through e-mail links and social networks. We know our neighborhoods better than most of the professional beat journalists who cover our communities for newspapers, radio and television. The Akron Digital Media Center and the Akronist follow a model that can be considered collaborative journalism, or professional and non-professional journalists working together. In todays media landscape, there is a place for everyone; there is room for all skill levels. Tools like social media, blogs and e-mail enable us to gather, write, aggregate and publish information, so many of us practice a form of journalism and may not even realize it. As the traditional journalist is expected to adhere to objectivity, the citizen journalist has a vested interest in what he or she creates, because citizen journalists care about the communities they serve. Citizen journalists have achieved significance in recent history, from the World Trade Organization protest bloggers in 1999 to the 2004 presidential election, when citizen bloggers were given press credentials for the Democratic and Republican conventions. Now many news stories are first read on Twitter and Facebook and through personal blogs before they make it to traditional media channels. The World Wide Web has leveled the playing field for digital multimedia, and digital cameras are more affordable than ever, especially as most of us have cameras built into our phones. Bloggers were among the first to take advantage of the digital publishing world, but now uploading a YouTube video is as simple as the click of a button. And much like Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized publishing when he became the first European to use moveable type printing -- opening the doors for the masses to read the Bible rather than getting the message through the elite in society -- the Internet has brought about another Gutenberg moment, as digital publishing is revolutionized and available to anyone with a computer, smartphone or Internet connection. To be taken seriously as a citizen journalist, you should be aware of and practice the same standards as the professional; you must be responsible, accurate and credible. And your stories should be compelling, so readers or viewers will want more.

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com Whether its articles, videos or podcasts, lets look at the basic types of stories out there:

Types of media (from soft news to features and opinions)

Hard news covers serious topics and timely events. Soft news is based upon facts but not as timely or tied to a particular event. Soft news may include arts and entertainment pieces, sports stories, gardening stories, human interest stories or profiles of people. Feature stories typically take an in-depth look at a subject and follow a narrative timeline (much like a book or movie) rather than a news structure (most important to least important information). Feature story readers or viewers are usually committed to sticking with a longer story, unlike a news story reader, who may just skim the headline. Editorials are opinions, reactions and essays, often as a response to news events or stories. Theyre an opportunity for a content creator to express his or her feelings and thoughts. Blogs often fall into the opinion category. Its important to distinguish when a story is an opinion, using clearly marked headlines and titles and phrases such as in my opinion or I believe. And its important not to mix a news or factual piece with an opinion piece. Types of media may range from a written article to a video or audio recording, or even a photo slideshow with narration and music. Digital media frees us to express our creativity in a number of different ways.

Principles and standards

All journalism is built around these five principles, which should always be at the forefront of a citizen journalists mind: ACCURACY Accuracy is the foundation of good journalism. Its important to double- and triple-check your facts, quotes and other information. Ask for the spelling of names, verify e-mail addresses, and check even the most basic pieces of information, because many errors are overlooked due to their simplicity. Any information that doesnt arise from your first-hand experience must have attribution. And get the account or information directly from the source if at all possible. The more you remove the information from its source, the less reliable it is. And when you make a mistake, dont be afraid to publish a correction, whether its reposting a story or editing your video. A person who admits and fixes his or her mistakes is much more credible to the reader (or viewer) than the person who hides mistakes. We are humans. We will make mistakes.

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com Opinion surveys and statistical information deserve special treatment, because studies can be interpreted in a number of different ways. Its important to provide as much information as possible about the survey or stat. (Who was given the survey? Who administered the survey?) Provide links to let the reader make his or her own assessment of the research. THOROUGHNESS Collect information from as many sources as possible, or as time allows. Dont just stop at one source. Avoid using secondary sources, and if you must use a secondary source, find someone or something else to corroborate the facts. The Internet offers a wealth of resources, but make sure you know where the information is coming from. For example, special interest groups, lobby groups and those sources with an agenda are not always reliable and objective. Know where the information comes from. If you spend a lot of time creating an article or video, put the story away for a brief period so you can approach it again with a fresh pair of eyes, and perhaps youll correct some mistakes that you didnt find before. It pays to be thorough, because mistakes are easy to make but sometimes difficult to remedy. FAIRNESS Unfortunately, this principle is lacking throughout traditional media. We need to be fair to our sources, and we need to be fair to the reader or viewer. This starts by telling the whole story. Weve heard the adage, there are two sides to every story, but sometimes there can be more than two sides. For example, if you write a story on vegetarianism, youll definitely want to interview a vegetarian and someone who eats meat. But what about the person who eats meat once a week? Or someone who eats seafood but not pork? If you look deep enough, there are often many different sides to a story, so its important to strive to find those unique perspectives that are often out of the range of traditional medias scope. Another important aspect of fairness is avoiding whats referred to as an unfair frame. An unfair frame is setting up the story in a way that misleads or manipulates the reader or viewer. One example would be to reveal a defendant walking in to a courtroom in slow motion, using black and white film and ominous music in the background. This could lead some viewers to assume guilt before the person even has his or her day in court. Another example of an unfair frame is taking someones comments out of context. If a mother of 10 children, for example, says to a reporter, I love my

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com children, but there are times I regret having them, but those thoughts are fleeting and replaced with the joy of parenthood, and the reporter then writes, Mother of 10 regrets having children, in the headline, this sets up an unfair frame for the reader. Listen to different points of view and incorporate them into your story, even if you dont agree with them. An important part of fairness is opening your mind to new ideas that may not coincide with your own. This especially applies to political, cultural and religious views, which are hot button issues for people. Dig deep; open your mind, and you will learn something new every time you assemble a story. TRANSPARENCY In the age of anonymous online comments and uncivil behavior in digital forums, its important that readers and viewers know your identity. People have less trust in anonymous sources and authors, partly because some journalists and bloggers have abused the notion of anonymity. Reveal your background: who you are, what your special interests are. If youre on the board of directors at a local nonprofit agency and want to write a positive story about this nonprofit, its essential to identify your role with that board. This disclosure builds credibility with the reader or viewer. Remember that we all have biases regardless of how objective we strive to be. Our cultural and economic statuses can jade our points of view, so we must recognize these biases in order to share objective and balanced stories. INDEPENDENCE A more ambiguous principle in the digital age, independence can be achieved even if we have special interests. Many citizen journalists, for example, care about their neighborhoods and their communities and strive to help improve these places through journalism. As long as you disclose your personal connections and your intentions and are honest and forthright, this should not tarnish your sense of independence. The goal of good journalism is to maintain the flow of information in a community without obstructions or filters that distort the message. You should still try to avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible. If you cover politics in a hard news environment, you probably should not volunteer to pass out petitions for a candidate door to door. Another example is if a friend or relative owns a restaurant, and the health department cites

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com the business for violations, could you objectively report on this? Probably not. Remain free of associations and activities that could compromise your integrity. If you create videos about community beautification and preservation, it would not be a good idea to join a local group of graffiti artists. Refuse any excessive gifts or favors in return for a story. Someone who offers you extravagant gifts in return for a positive story likely has something to hide. Also, avoid paying money for sources to speak with you. No one should bid out news or information. Be vigilant and hold those with power or influence accountable, but dont be a vigilante. And deny special treatment to advertisers or those with influence. Allowing your sources to control the message does a disservice to readers or viewers who depend on you to give them accurate and unbiased information.

Legalese
As citizen journalists, we carry the responsibility of publishers. Whatever we post on social media, websites and blogs carries certain legal limitations. Here are the parts of the law you should be concerned about as it relates to digital media: DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER Also known as libel and slander. By definition, defamation of character is the communication of false information stated as fact, which brings harm to an individual or an entity, such as a business, group or government. For it to be defamation, the statement must be delivered in speech or in writing to at least one person other than the victim. Libel is typically written defamation and slander is typically spoken. It means youre disguising something as truth that can damage another person or entity. When dealing with libel and slander, different standards of fault apply, depending on who you are. If you're a public official or figure, such as a politician, celebrity or some other well-known person, you have to prove you were defamed with "actual malice, meaning you have to show that the person defaming you knew the statement he or she made was false and would harm your reputation, or they recklessly disregarded these concerns. If you're not a public figure, you only have to prove that the person defaming you was negligent. Its critical to remember that private individuals have a greater right to control information about themselves. The absolute defense against libel and slander is the truth. If the statement is true, it cannot be considered libel or slander.

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com COPYRIGHT LAW Copyright and trademark infringements are a rampant part of the Internet landscape, and those who own copyrights vigorously protect them. Conversely, there is an argument for fair use of materials, a copyright exception in which you may legally use copyrighted materials for works like documentaries, commentary, educational presentations or other means that carry a social or cultural benefit. According to Wikipedia, fair use includes commentary, criticism, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. Ultimately, there is no safe amount of material you may use under copyright law so be selective about what you use. (Click here for an explanation of fair use best practices.) One way to remain safe is to use photos, audio or video in the public domain (also known as copyright free or royalty free). Some of these images do require a one-time purchase price. Another option is creative commons (http://www.creativecommons.org), a nonprofit corporation dedicated to making it easier for people to share and build upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright. This can range from full use or commercial use to limited copyright. Creative commons provides free licenses and other legal tools to mark creative work with the freedom the creator wants it to carry, so others can share, remix, use commercially, or do any combination of this. Google, Flickr and Wikipedia are some of the sites that offer access to creative commons material. If you do violate a copyright or trademark, you will usually be notified with a cease and desist letter, which gives you a reasonable amount of time to remove the copyrighted material from public access. HARM LIMITATION In order to remain free of legal entanglements, we should follow a harm limitation principle in journalism. Show compassion for those adversely affected by news coverage, like a family thats lost a loved one or someone whos lost his or her job. Remember that were all people, and we should first and foremost relate as people. Be sensitive when interviewing children or people with limited capacity. Remember that private residents have a greater right to control information about themselves. (Think of a scale, where on one side is a persons right to privacy and on the other side is the publics right to know. Which weighs heavier?) Publishing embarrassing information about someone in any medium can support another sort of privacy claim unreasonable publication of private facts. Make sure that if youre publicizing private information, you have a compelling reason to do so

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com (remember the scale). Show good taste, and remember that people are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Also remember that juveniles in the legal system should not be identified. LIMIT LEGAL RISK Here are ways to stay out of legal trouble when collecting and sharing stories: Check your facts Avoid virtual vendettas - Dont disguise a personal vendetta as journalism. Obey the law You may record on public property (like sidewalks, parks, etc.) but you may not record on private property or even enter private property without permission. Remember that businesses are private property. Weigh promises Dont make promises to story sources. What if that persons interview does not belong in the story, but you promised that he would appear? Reveal secrets selectively Be careful when youre dealing with trade secrets, like proprietary government and business information. You can be sued or prosecuted for sharing proprietary information with the public. The following types of information are protected by state and federal law: educational records from institutions receiving federal funds; medical records; online collection and disclosure of information by commercial sites concerning children under the age of 13 (under the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA); telephone numbers and addresses of public officials or private citizens; Social Security numbers; personal banking and financial information; and data stored on a computer. Consider what you copy Do not violate copyright. Learn recording limits Private property is off limits without consent. Public places like sidewalks and parks are OK for recording, but not schools, government office buildings, airports, prisons and military facilities, all of which require permission. Dont abuse anonymity Shun conflicts of interest Seek legal advice If someone threatens legal action, and you believe you havent violated the law or anyones privacy, there is a network of attorneys through the Center for Citizen Media Law

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com (http://www.citmedialaw.org/), which offers free legal advice for citizen journalists.

News writing 101

Typically news stories are short and direct, in order to cater to time-starved readers. So start with the most important information first, which is also known as the inverted pyramid. Some say the inverted pyramid dates back to the Civil War, when news was top-loaded so the major points of a story would not be lost during telegraph communication. With news, were clearly communicating the facts, whether its using an article, audio clip or video. FIVE Ws A news story should answer the basic questions of Who, What, Where, When, Why and sometimes How. Who was involved? What happened? Where did it happen? When did it happen? Why did it happen? How did it happen? LEDE An old newspaper term, a lede is an intro sentence or paragraph thats compelling to the reader. Sometimes its best to write your lede last, as looking at the entire piece of writing helps you formulate a better idea to summarize the story. Here are some examples of ledes: Iran has unveiled an unmanned, long-distance bomber drone described by the country's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as "an ambassador of death" to Tehran's enemies. Red Lobster has started to give some diners with allergies more information about what potential dangers could lurk in their food. To some, the four handwritten letters amount to a murder confession, filled with heinous details only the killer would know. Many air travelers complain about weird seatmates, but they could be more creeped out if they knew what other passengers had packed in their luggage. NUTGRAF This is usually the second paragraph, after the lede. The nutgraf typically shares the Five Ws. Heres an example of a nutgraf: Late blight and downy mildew have both been confirmed in Ohio, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com Township reported Thursday. Late blight affects tomatoes and potatoes and is the fungus that caused the Irish potato famine. The strain of downy mildew that has been found in Ohio destroys cucumber plants and also affects cantaloupes, but not fatally. USE ACTIVE VERBS Active language keeps readers engaged. Passive language loses reader interest. For example, instead of writing, The session is starting next Wednesday (passive), instead write, The session starts next Wednesday (active). Another example is, The lawn is mowed by Pete. A better way of writing this would be, Pete mows the lawn. AVOID QUALIFIERS The words really, very and quite are some examples of unnecessary qualifiers. Whats the difference between hes very hungry and hes hungry? Nothing: its just superfluous language. And when people are reading online, concision is key. Keep it simple. Keep it short. Get to the point. USE ADJECTIVES AND ADVERBS SPARINGLY Adjectives and adverbs can clutter a sentence, especially when reporting news. Think of them as seasoning: a little goes a long way. WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW This may seem like hackneyed advice, but its true. Stick to the topics you know. Also, be cognizant of your writers toolbox, which is your vocabulary, ideas, feelings and experiences, and use only those tools. Dont use words that you dont fully understand just to use sophisticated language. Stick to the tools you have, and your work will be much more honest and relatable to the reader. Childrens author Dr. Seuss, for example, would purposely set out to limit his toolbox to challenge himself, so when he sat down to write a book, he would give himself a guideline of maybe 75 words and write an entire story using only those words. READ This is the most important piece of advice. Reading will improve your writing.

Headline writing 101

Headline writing is both an art and a science. For headlines, we must come up with a catchy and engaging message that encapsulates our story in as few words as possible. In order for our stories to be picked up by search engines, we must also use key words and phrases that can cut through the digital clutter. And regardless of

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com whether youre creating articles, videos or podcasts, every story needs a good headline. KEEP IT SIMPLE USE A SUBJECT AND A VERB - Most good headlines have a subject and a verb, like Russian spy suspect granted bail or Coast guard warns boaters of great white shark hazards. USE ACTIVE VOICE NO NEED FOR CONJUNCTIONS Words like and, or and but can be replaced with commas in a headline. For example, Cats, dogs in exodus to new home. LITERARY DEVICES Alliteration and rhyme can be used when writing headlines, but use good taste. If the tone of the story is serious, the headline should reflect that. Read headlines to find your favorites and learn how its done. In the meantime, here are some headline examples: Obama speech recalls Reagan Computers learn to listen, and some talk back Ohio scrambles on egg recall Is Larry King opening a bagel store? Baghdad boy band bid for big break Pancake physics to cut batter splatter Flying moose lands on cars roof Fire-starting cat saves family

Interviewing

A good interview is key to quality reporting, because our stories are only as good as our sources. A good interview is a conversation between you and your subject, not an interrogation. Here are some pointers for getting that solid interview:

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com There is no such thing as a stupid question Dont be afraid to ask a simple question, or if you dont understand, ask the person to repeat him or herself. Save the bombshells for last If you do have a controversial question or topic to discuss, save it for later in the interview. For one thing, starting off easy will provide a better pace; and for another, if the person decides to walk away or not answer this question, at least youll still have a story. Break the ice Remember that were people. Find the common thread with your interviewee. Maybe she likes jazz music. Make some small talk at the beginning of the interview so she feels more comfortable talking to you. Dress appropriately Dont wear a tuxedo to a coffee house. On the flip side, dont wear jeans and a T-shirt to a board meeting or an executive interview. Be fair As discussed above, you may have to interview someone who has experienced tragedy, grief or a traumatic event. Be sensitive to the persons situation. Also, be fair to someone who may feel like his or her side of the story has not been accurately represented. Dont always stick to the script Prepare questions beforehand, but dont be afraid to let the interview go in different directions, especially if the person youre interviewing has a gem of a story that you werent aware of. An interview should be an organic experience. Be sensitive to adversity Be sensitive to children and people with limited mental or physical capacity. Let talkers talk, but within limits Some people will talk for hours if you let them. Be mindful of the time, and if someone wanders verbally, gently nudge him or her back on track. Use your best judgment. Learn to deal with non-talkers Some interviewees will only provide curt, one-word answers. Ask them a follow-up question, like Why is this? or How does that make you feel? Dont be afraid to repeat questions if you feel like your source didnt answer them the first time.

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Online training module www.akrondmc.com Ask open-ended questions To avoid one-word answers, ask questions with key words like how or why to encourage the interviewee to elaborate. Listen A good interviewer also is a good listener. Not only do you want to accurately quote someone, but you also want to ensure that you understand his or her total message. Give them the last word Often times, the person youre interviewing has something to talk about that you may not have touched on. Always give the interviewee the last word. Some of the best quotes are gleaned from the end of the interview. Be curious and look beyond the obvious Many of the best stories arise from unexpected places. REFERENCES National Association of Citizen Journalists http://www.nacj.us/ -- Center for Citizen Media Law http://www.citmedialaw.org/ -- Creative Commons http://creativecommons.org/ -- Reynolds Journalism Institute http://www.rjionline.org/ -- Knight Community News Network Learning Modules http://www.kcnn.org/modules/ --

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