Susan Marie

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Social Media vs Journalism

First published:

The News Tribe UK

WGRZ Ch. 2

Prompted by a question asked to me by Kashif Ahmad on twitter:

I responded with:

The term “Journalism” is a well defined term. Due to “social media” everyone thinks they are a journalist.

Journalism is [Merriam-Webster] : Writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation.

Journalism is a diverse field with varying degrees of reporting such as: journalism by field [medical, business, political, education, art], and journalism by genre [broadcast, photo, combat, investigative, citizen, documentary.]

Social media is [Merriam-Webster] : forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.

Examples of social media are: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, Blogger, Vimeo, and WordPress.

Journalism and social media are clearly two different matters of concern.

Social Media can be utilized to propel journalism via technology through public relations and networking. Due to technology, information is able to reach the world in seconds, including all of the people one is connected to, as well as all of the people that share ones information and whom they are connected to.

For example, if I were sent trusted, educational, newsworthy information; my network is designed to reach every online network in mere seconds. That is employing social media in regards to public relations and networking. That is not journalism.

Social Media involves utilizing technology to reach an audience in order to make any information public. Social Media is what most of us use everyday.

Journalism is reporting, writing, and broadcasting information that is informative and factual to the public for a specific purpose.

The difference between the two depends solely on the information that is being shared. Is it educational, researched, factual, informative and necessary for the public to know about? Or is it a picture of you at your cousins birthday party?

While there is nothing wrong with either forms of utilizing social media, there is a distinct line between referring to oneself as a “social journalist” simply due to accessing and being published by the means of social media.

In order to be “journalistic”, writing in a blog, having an article accepted by a newspaper and sharing information online must be comparable to research, speaking to people involved [recording, broadcasting, writing] and reading about a single subject matter in order to educate the public in an objective fashion, as well as yourself.

There is nothing in this article that is my opinion. It is researched fact, informative and educational. That is a form of journalism.

Anything faltering from the above is simply expression or opinion.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Rohingya: The Human Story

Remember Rohingya

Restless Beings has prepared a media statement

on behalf of community organizations and business to ask media to end the blackout from Burma on this issue and to report according to international standards without bias.

To support, email your business/organization/network logo to: rohingya@restlessbeings.org

A special event for press and limited guests:

This event will look at the human stories behind recent clashes and the ensuing state-led campaign against the Rohingya in Burma.

Monday 23 July 2012, 6.30pm - 8pm
Brady Arts and Community Centre
192-196 Hanbury Street
London
E1, 5HU.

Space is limited, for more information and to register for this free event click here.

On Monday, July 23, 2012 (same day as the press conference), there will be an international tweet up on Twitter. Go to @RestlessBeings.

The tweet up is between 6 - 11pm UK time. The more people tweeting, the more chance of getting the topic trending to grab media attention.

Described by the UN as the most persecuted community in the world, the struggle of the Rohingya is largely unknown.

Help give a voice to one of the most marginalized communities in the world: #SOSRohingya

The ethnic cleansing campaign of the Rohingya in Burma demands mainstream coverage. Human rights activists and advocates, please spread the word.

This community is being killed.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Enforced Disappearance: In Wake of the "War on Terror"

First published:

CNN International

WeSpeakNews India

Amina Masood Janjua, Chairperson: Defence of Human Rights is launching an international campaign for the release of missing persons that will include traveling, seminars, rallies, and camps in major cities to advocate for the release of human beings imprisoned without cause.

Amina began the Defence of Human Rights with almost no resources and this organization has flourished through the support of kind hearted people.

It will be 7 years since Amina has been separated from her husband, Masood. Her determination to find him has resulted in the relief of thousands of families of those wrongfully imprisoned.

THE APPEAL:

1. The struggle with military dictatorship and poverty upon the advent of the second decade of the 21st century introduced a new menace in Pakistan: Enforced Disappearance. Thousands of people have gone missing.

People were afraid to talk about this atrocity due to fear. Amina Masood Janjua took it upon herself to break this silence.

2. Mrs. Janjua’s lone struggle began in 2005 after the disappearance of her husband Masood Janjua. After arduous rallies, protests, legal battles, and endless campaigning; Defence of Human Rights staged a 24/7 sit-in in front of parliament house in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

Hundreds of families of victims stayed in this camp for 76 days from February 15th to April 30, 2012. The exemplary and unprecedented camp turned out to be a huge success and attracted the attention of not only the nation, but the world.

3. Under the pressure of the continued struggle of the people, Parliament passed two unanimous resolutions against enforced disappearance, three parliamentary committees have been formed to look into the matter of enforced disappearance and up to 32 of the listed cases have been traced since the camp began.

Much remains to be done.

4. DHR registered more than 370 new cases of missing persons yet despite the phenomenal impact of the protest camp, it had to be closed down due to limited resources. Regardless, DHR has decided to launch this nationwide campaign and prepare for an even larger sit-in by the end of 2012.

The struggle to free human beings from illegal detentions, torture and unlawful arrests is a direct result from the wake of the War on Terror. An urgent humanitarian appeal is crucial for the sake of countless helpless victims that face death and torture from prolonged detention.

Defence of Human Rights depends 100% on the support of conscientious citizens. DHR represents more cases in Supreme Court than any other human rights association or legal firm in Pakistan without charging a single fee to the families of missing persons.