Today everyone is a ‘journalist’ – a definition which is changing radically to include ‘news’ tweets from viewer-reporters. As you’ve noticed, even news networks like CNN devote chunks of time to reading viewer tweets. I’m trying to picture Walter Cronkite devoting his hour to read newsy letters about interesting things viewers encountered, while sharing the photos enclosed. Technology in Walter’s day obviously wasn’t what it is now, it’s the principle of the thing, you see.
With all of the opportunities to be heard, everyone has a voice, but maybe everyone shouldn’t be repeated nationally as ‘news.’ Watch yesterday’s Deep Throat as he encounters today’s citizen reporter, or “An idiot with a smart phone.”