Assingment #1 : Citizen Journalism

As a new communication method, blog’s role gets bigger in our life because it is not only expression of blogger’s opinion on their own blog but also it has influence on reader’s thought even more than main journalism in some times. It is true that ‘Freedom of the press’ is guaranteed only to those who own one as the journalist Abbott Joseph Liebling said and this also applied to the situation in Cuba that only a few people who can access the internet can see or do blogs. Even though there still be some invisible limitation of access for someone who cannot access internet, blog can provide lots of advantages to potential citizen journalists.

There are many advantages blogs have such as blogger doesn’t need any special training like journalist, blogger can post their writing immediately whenever they want without pre-censorship by institution or any special tools as Salam Pax(Baghdad citizen), Lieutenant Smash(American soldier participated in the war) and ntcoolfool(Virginia Tech student) did. Therefore, blogs provide to potential citizen journalists to write their opinion on their blog freely and make it possible to share their posts with other people anytime when they access internet. Occasionally, people more rely on blogger who really participate in the event than journalist in media.

Yoani Sanchez who posts her real life in Cuba also takes advantage of these blog features. In the nation’s situation that freedom of press is not guaranteed and the standardization/uniform of opinion is enforced by Cuban government, she posts her writing on her blog, Generacion Y, people around world can read her life in Cuba through the blog. With her blog, we can realize the real Cuban citizen’s life that they cannot live only with legal job and there still be a lot of restrictions in access to internet or speaking their own voice freely. But, Yoani jumps over this environment and give her own voice on her blog to be read by anyone inside or outside of Cuba and this is why we call her a brave woman and a citizen journalist. So many people outside of Cuba can see ‘real’ Cuban life through her blog and sometimes people believe and rely on her blog more than Cuban media.

However, Yoani just put her candid opinion or feeling on her blog as one of citizen in Cuba but it does not represent all of Cuban citizen’s opinion. Of course, I admit the fact that her posts are alive and have more reality compare to the articles issued by Cuban government. But it is risky to generalize Cuban life only after referring her blog. It could represent many Cuban citizen’s life but not whole of them.

It is definite that blog provide many advantages to potential citizen journalist like Yoani Sanchez has been doing. It is impossible for Yoani to express and speak out her voice outside of Cuba without blog. Blogging is a great way to reach outside of Cuba, and also outside of Cuba can reach to inside of Cuba, as vice versa. However, as a substitute of journalism, some of liabilities are required on blogs. Some people are apt to think it is whole idea and truth if they stick to specific blog. Therefore, bloggers should consider the power of influence of their post and be careful when they write something even though it is not a main media. Also, readers have to judge opinions on blogs with critical thinking. As more freedom requires more responsibility, freedom of speech has more responsibility on its reliability.