Abstract
Despite being equipped to an unprecedented extent to become substantial news players, despite a growing need for their journalistic input, and despite the promise of user-generated content to give them voice, ordinary citizens remain a negligible news source. To explore why this is so, I propose a model that indicates journalists' reliance on citizens is hindered by three factors: circumstantial (situations calling for input from citizens arise ad hoc), logistical (using them requires greater journalistic effort), and evaluative (journalists appreciate their contributions less). A broad comparison of contacts with ordinary citizens against contacts with other source types (N = 2,381) in Israel strongly validates this model. To enhance their access, citizens may need not only a technological revolution but also a social, cultural, and epistemic revolution.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2412-2433 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | International Journal of Communication |
Volume | 9 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 1 Jan 2015 |
Keywords
- Citizens
- Israel
- News access
- News sources
- Participation
- Technology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Communication