Redefining Journalism

This book explores how participatory journalism is changing organizational structure and production practices at the publicly funded Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Using practical action research, two sites of study are examined that each offer unique strategies for incorporating everyday citizens into the news production process. The use of citizen bloggers to supplement CBC’s coverage of the G20 summit in Toronto shows how diversifying storytelling improves the overall quality of news content; the mandate of Connect with Mark Kelly to democratize daily news by using ordinary people as sources and breaking traditional rules of production reveals a survival strategy for daily news shows. Through the lens of media logic, using the theories of convergence culture and the public sphere, tactics are developed to involve more citizens in the newsmaking process, thus invigorating public discourse and subverting news production that is designed to entertain instead of inform.