The Appropriation/Amplification Model of Citizen Journalism

Abstract

A collaborative relationship between citizen journalists and professional journalists has long been an aspiration for many media scholars. While tensions surrounding professional control are significant, scholars also have to consider the structural dynamics of content online and across social media networks, particularly in an era of the corporatized and commercialized Web. The rise of social discovery tools and algorithms is also addressed. This article aims to bring to light these concerns and moves the conversation about citizen journalism forward by proposing a model that identifies the pathway through which news organizations gather, select, package, and disseminate citizen journalism content.

KEYWORDS:

•  citizen journalism
• network architecture
• political economy
• social media
• Web traffic

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The relationship between citizen content and social media companies is a separate discussion with its own concerns about labor, privacy, and beyond (Silverman 2015).