Research Inspiration

Vol. 11 No. I (2025): December
Articles

Citizen Journalism and User-Generated Content: An Analysis

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Arpita Sneh
Research Scholar, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh (India).
Bio
DOI: https://doi.org/10.53724/inspiration/v11n1.04

Published 05-12-2025

Keywords

  • Citizen journalism,
  • user-generated content,
  • digital media,
  • social media,
  • democracy,
  • media ethics.
    • ...More
    Less

How to Cite

Arpita Sneh. (2025). Citizen Journalism and User-Generated Content: An Analysis. Research Inspiration, 11(I), 22–28. https://doi.org/10.53724/inspiration/v11n1.04
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

The rapid expansion of digital technology and the internet has fundamentally transformed traditional communication structures. The most significant impact of this change is seen in the field of journalism, where the authority to produce and disseminate news is no longer limited to professional media organizations. Citizen journalism and user-generated content (UGC) have made ordinary citizens active participants in the information-creation process. Through mobile phones, social media platforms, blogs, and video-sharing sites, citizens are now playing a vital role in eyewitness reporting, expressing opinions, and documenting social issues. This paper analyzes the concept, evolution, nature, socio-political impact, opportunities, challenges, and significance of citizen journalism and UGC in the Indian context. The study also highlights that while citizen journalism empowers democratic discourse, it also raises serious concerns regarding factual accuracy, ethics, and credibility. In conclusion, this paper emphasizes that balance and cooperation between citizen journalism and professional journalism are essential for a democratic media system.

EPUB Abstract Full Paper

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