OK, so I get it. Traditional media is still having a hard time getting its hands around this whole "citizen journalism" thing. The internet is still here, the blogs are still bothering them like mosquitoes on a summer night in Houston, now they have to contend with video to boot! Here, I humbly present a primer on how a lowly reporter, working the beat, can ease him or herself into this new-fangled series of tubes we call the internet. This will be painless and may even bolster a career or two.

When a newsworthy event happens citizens can make some of the best reporters. Reporters coming from a newspaper or TV station often arrive after the event has occurred. This can make telling the story difficult. If they include citizens in the reporting it can make the retelling of the event easier. Citizen journalism is does just that.

When writing a news story include reports from citizens that witnessed the event. If possible include people that experienced the event. They will give you a better story for the readers. Readers want to hear from the people involved, not a rehashing from a reporter. Using citizen reporters allows the writer to do this. Often citizen reporters will have gotten pictures or video footage of the event. Including these makes the story more personal to the readers.

Including citizen reporters in a story shows the public you care how they feel. It makes the readers respect you more as a reporter. When including a citizen report you will want to verify their story. Publishing misleading facts could be a terrible career move.

If you are writing an article that could be considered controversial, for example does your town need a new school building or should the mayor be fired because he was caught in a hotel room with crack and a hooker, include citizens reports. They can express there views on the subject, and enhance your story. Make sure to include views from both sides to keep from seeming biased like the big media does (see Marla Maples/CBS News).

Another example of including citizen reports could be when writing about the Iraq war. You could include reports from family members of the troops. Include letters to the soldiers from people in the town. This really helps the readers relate to the story better. It allows them to feel closer to the story from reading other’s personal views.

Adding citizen’s reports can make a story. A reporter might only have a few sentences about the event. Once the citizen’s report is added there could be a few paragraphs. Throw in some pictures and you now have a full page story.

Anytime you can have a citizen reporter add to the article the better the article will be. There is something about hearing a story from a real everyday person that makes it more real. The reader will relate more to a story from an everyday person. It will make them think if it could happen to such and such maybe it could happen to me. This can be a great tool when telling a story of a crime. People often think that could not happen to me. If they hear from one of their neighbors, or someone they know they might think again.

The citizen reporter can be a very valuable tool when writing a story. They can give you better details if you were not there to witness the event. They can often supply you with photos, or video of the event. They can help to make the article easier for your readers to connect too. They can add to, and enhance your story. Using citizen reporting can make your readers respect you more as a reporter but don't expect it to recover the public's trust in traditional media.