Keeping an eye on blogs, citizen media,citizen journalism, citizen reporters and anything about technology that's news for the news business since 2002. Acting locally in Chicago, thinking globally.
Micropayments and citizen journalists discussion on Poynter.org which talks about a comment I made.Poynter Online - E-Media Tidbits I think giving the citizen journos T-shirts might be patronizing. I am thinking about this further. I am inclined to think that micropayments and reputation rankings would be a better way to go.
Keeping an eye on blogs, citizen media,citizen journalism, citizen reporters and anything about technology that's news for the news business since 2002. Acting locally in Chicago, thinking globally.
Posts tagged Citizen Media OR Citizen Journalism daily last 30 days.
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I thought you might be interested in this post I made to my blog, Smudged Ink. As I argue below, I think there are much simpler, less expensive and obvious ways to reward citizen journalists than paying them:
Respect, not pay, the issue for citizen journalists
There's an interesting discussion here and here about whether citizen journalists will eventually expect to be paid for their labors. Surely some will. Others will not. The reason people will contribute to the site is because of the opportunity to be heard, and hopefully appreciated by an audience. They're not out to make money (or at least hopefully they're not, because otherwise they'll be more disappointed than those of us who are trying to do this professionally). Furthermore, even if we wanted to pay these contributors, there's not money in citizen journalism to pay them.
To help solve this dilemma, one reader of the Poynter website suggested giving these contributors T-shirts, mugs, etc. with the company logo to both reward and promote. But as another reader suggested, this is patronizing. Newspapers and other media give these items away for free. They are a good promotional tool, but citizen reporters would see through the use of these items as rewards. They have no real value.
The issue here isn't whether citizen reporters are paid or not. It's whether they are exploited or not. If citizen media websites are making a killing at the expense of citizen reporters. It's the same reason that reporters resent being paid $25,000 while their media mogul bosses are making returns in excess of 25% percent.
On one hand this is a financial issue, but more than that this is a management issue. Make your employees feel appreciated; create an environment where they're allowed to be creative; encourage friendships in the workplace; invest back into the news operation, and you'll earn the respect of a more content staff.
If citizen media websites want to be successful, they should help their cause by helping build social networks among contributors and between the contributors and the staff of editors. Have a potluck, buy a block of tickets to a local sporting event, rent out a bowling alley. Socialize with your contributors; encourage them to socialize with each other. Tell them "Thank you." Often. Most important, don't exploit and alienate those that we all need the most.
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