Interesting Example of Investigative Reporting that Mixes Traditional and Citizen Journalism

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/04/zimbabwe1?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

I think this is an interesting example of the blurring lines between traditional and citizen journalism. This is a professionally produced piece that relies heavily on a citizen journalist whose video footage was recorded with a camera the Guardian supplied him. Clearly, there were professional reporters involved in the production and editing of this piece. However, without a citizen journalist willing to work with new media, the Guardian would have been unable to produce this piece.

Furthermore, it’s a piece produced by a newspaper that relies on heavily on video footage that readers of the print edition would only be able to view over the Internet. I suspect that this report is featured in today’s print edition of the Guardian. The eyewitness account of voter fraud that Mr .Yuda provides likely wouldn’t have been printed were there not the accompanying video.
Sadly, this piece will likely have no effect whatsoever on the mess that Mugabe has made of Zimbabwe, but it’s nonetheless an interesting example of the mixture of old and new media.

—Noel S.