In the "Citizen Journalism via Blogs, Vlogs, and Podcasts" course of our University's New Media and Communication Doctoral Program, a deep discussion environment on digital media and citizen journalism was provided. In the course led by Assist. Prof. Hasan Ramazan Yılmaz, students had the opportunity to learn about the dynamics of the industry.
On March 26, Mustafa Ashour, a host from Al Jazeera Mubasher Television, attended the class as a guest. Drawing from his experiences at Al Jazeera Mubasher, Ashour shared his experiences of balancing traditional media with citizen journalism and the increasing importance of citizen journalists in local news with the students.
The role of citizen journalism in the context of media freedom and diversity of news sources was discussed in detail during the class. Students tried to understand the balance between the opportunities offered by digital media and the limitations of traditional media.
At the end of the class, in a discussion session moderated by researcher Gamze Abdelfatah, students exchanged ideas on the boundaries of citizen journalism, ethical issues, and how mainstream news networks can integrate into the new media form. Participants discussed the strengths and challenges of citizen journalism in the digital age, as well as its future potentials.
The class, which concluded with a Q&A session, contributed to the students' in-depth understanding of the topic and the development of their practical skills in the field.
