Citizen Journalist

when terror strikes (teaser trailer 2)

2009-11-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

The demand for fresh human organs existed and Nikhil was a reliable supplier. He was grateful to the private nursing home where he spent a few weeks as a ward boy, and later graduated to be a be helper in the Operation Theater. That short stint was invaluable to him because it was there that he saw, handled and became familiar with surgical instruments like the scalpels, forceps and knives. He observed how the surgeon cut through the flesh and fat to reach into the innermost cavities of the human body.

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when terror strikes (teaser trailer 1)

2009-11-05T03:23:00.000-08:00

‘I have people who supply cartridges that bear foreign marks – made in the by-lanes right here, the markings are fake ones, as fake as the SIM cards and I- cards. Do you know that marketing Terrorist props is a flourishing business, dress that resemble official ones of the police, the fire brigade and the armed forces have innumerable takers?’

‘Saab-ji , if the madaris can train monkeys to dance and beg on the streets and steal from multistory buildings, why can they not be trained to plant bombs?’

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when terror strikes (synopsis)

2009-11-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

Synopsis

Killing to Munni-chachi was a method to clear obstacles. Very few knew of her real power, her hidden agenda. To the commoner, she could manage the impossible. People loved and respected her for her generosity, for her helping nature, for her willingness to go the extra mile.

The Mumbai bomb blasts of 26/11, to her, were Godsend. It would camouflage her intentions.

The only surviving terrorist Joseph Akmal Khan was behind bars – it threw up immense possibilities. Munni-chachi could now activate her terror modules.

If there were remnants of burnt Urdu newspapers, Pakistani coins and firearms with foreign markings in the debris of any destruction those would imply the presence of foreign hands and the situation could be exploited to the fullest.

She was spurred for quick action due to an e-mail received by a TV news channel hinting at attacks on defense and strategic installations in and around Mumbai. All hell broke loose.

The Home Minister called for an emergency meeting with RAW (the Research and Analysis Wing), the Anti Terrorist Squad and the Police Commissioner with the Chiefs of the Armed Forces to evolve strategies to counter the threats.

With kidnappings, missing slum children and a doctor-builder nexus in a kidney racket, this novel keeps you on the edge.

This is a story of modern day terrorism, terrorists and terror modules.

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suicide is not a solution

2009-06-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

Suicide prone individuals are continuously on the rise. The disease has struck persons from all walks of life and the victims are of any age from five to ninety five. It is the ultimate path one chooses when he or she finds it impossible to adjust to changed scenarios. When expectations are not met, people begin to brood, they lose interest in life and the final result is the untimely loss of one more life – a life that could have been saved. Illnesses, sudden loss of wealth, loss of face, reprimanding of children, inability to live upto expectations of elders, failure to accept changes in work life – these are but a few of the reasons that ends in suicide. With that objective, this section has been opened – anyone can send in his or her experiences in dealing with suicide prone individuals so that others can share the knowledge. Or – if you happen to be someone who wanted to take your own life but,, finally, did not – these would be of great help to others.

CHILD HELPLINESA toll free 24-hour telephone help line 1098 for children in distress can be accessed in 72 cities of the country. This number can be available by any child or concerned adult on his or her behalf.

This helpline, easily remembered in Hindi as “Dus, Nau, Aath”, is presently working in the following 72 cities: Agartala, Aurangabad, Chennai, Guwahati, Kanchipuram, Kozhikode, Nadia, Pune, South 24 Paraganas, Varanasi, Shimla, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kanyakumari, Kutch, Nagapattinam, Puri, Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayawada, Ludhiana, Ahmednagar, Baroda, Cuddalore, Imphal, Karaikal, Lucknow, Nagpur, Rourkela, Thirunelveli, Vishakhapatnam, Akola, Bhopal, Delhi, Indore, Kochi, Mangalore, Nasik, Ranchi, Thrissur, Waynad, Allahabad, Bhubaneshwar, East Midanapore Jammu, Kolkata, Madurai, New Jalpaiguri, Salem, Tiruchirapalli, West Midnapore, Alwar, Chandigarh, Goa, Jaipur, Kollam, Mumbai, Patna, Shillong, Udaipur, Agra, Amarawati, Cuddalore, Gorakhpur, Kalyan, Kota, Murshidabad Port Blair, Sholapur, Ujjain and Gurgaon.

http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page1.asp?relid=21250

Makkala Sahaya Vani responds to calls ranging from :- Counselling for emotional problems, On harrassment, exploitation and sexual abuse, shelter for lost / missing children and to reunite them with families, Legal Medical services, Calls from public and parents of children who are mentally and physically handicapped, Children denied of their earnings, Children who just want to speak to MSV. An initiative of the Bangalore City Police to attend to the problems of children was established in the premises of the office of the Commissioner of Police on 30th December 1997. This is a helpline for children with a toll free telephone No.1091.

http://www.onlinebangalore.com/gove/banp/bangpol5a.html

Child Line is a 24 hour emergency phone service for children in difficult circumstances. Any child in crisis can dial 1098 free of cost and speak to a friendly, experienced counsellor. The service seeks to aid any child below the age of 18 who is injured, sick, exploited, abused, in danger, or lonely. They may be street children living on the pavement or railway station, or normal children with normal families. Parents often call in search of a missing child.

http://www.i-indiaonline.com/prog_childline.htm

HELPLINES FOR WOMEN

With an increase in the number of crimes committed against women, the police have opened several help lines which can be contacted for immediate assistance. Whether it is eve teasing or harassment at work or in the confines of the home or even in public place, on the roads or in buses or trains, dialing the toll free numbers is the only way to tackle the growing menace.

Women's helpline launched in Mumbai

The women in distress can call the helpline number '1298', which in turn is connected to around 16 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including the Maharashtra State Women's Council and report their problem.

http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080129/878569.html

Mumbai Police introduces women helpline No. 103

From this February 25, if any woman gets any physical and mental harassment, can dial 103 and it will reach directly at the police control room. … The police in Mumbai have also introduced a helpline No. 1090 for senior citizens. This helpline is operated by the Mumbai police.

http://www.samachaar.in/Mumbai/Mumbai_Police_introduces_women_helpline_No._103_25527/

Stay safe, girl!

It's best to just dial 100 if you are in trouble, especially after 8 pm. The women's helpline, Vanitha Sahaya Vani (1091), at the office of the police commissioner is open from only 8 am to 8 pm.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1112122.cms

HELPLINES FOR THOSE IN DISTRESS

Students in distress can turn to following help lines of Mumbai -

Mindtemple - 022 - 32421111 (10 to 6 pm)
Avishkar - 022 - 24227515 (10 to 6 pm)
Aasra - 022 - 27546669 (3 to 9 pm)

Atrocities on Women – in and around Mumbai

2009-06-05T00:12:00.000-07:00

MUMBAI: In another twist to the sensational 2006 case, in which Sriram Mills scion Abhishek Kasliwal was accused of raping a 52-year-old alleged drug-pusher, the victim - who remained untraceable for the past couple of years - apparently came back and surrendered to cops at Worli police station earlier this week.

Kasliwal rape victim back in city after 3 years

MUMBAI: Sozzled passengers misbehaving on board a flight do not seem to be unusual cases anymore. In yet another case of indecent behaviour on flight, a 46-year-old engineer was arrested and sent to judicial custody after an air hostess registered a molestation case on Thursday.

Drunk flier held for molesting air hostess

MUMBAI: Two ragpickers dragged a 20-year-old woman selling clips on local trains and raped her at the open space between two platforms at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, exposing the lack of security at Mumbai's iconic railway station.

Ragpickers rape 20-yr-old woman in Mumbai’s CST

Adultery via the cyber world

2009-05-29T05:07:00.000-07:00

Internet culture has given rise to married ones getting into trouble. The social networking sites are the real culprits because statistics from offices of divorce lawyers reveal that such websites promote adultery and married people carry on illicit affairs over the net. They have the main advantage of being invisible – they can keep their identity a secret. They meet on chat sites, come to know each other, and as the intimacy grows, the distances vanish. Then there comes the urge to meet face to face and, even though these might be huge disappointments when reality takes over from fantasy, the matter of the fact is that these can lead to prolonged sufferings. Final result is in the office of the divorce lawyer.

Cyber affairs cited in breakdown of real marriages

Where should you have sex

2009-05-29T05:05:00.000-07:00

The conventional method of enjoying sex is behind closed doors but, there are exceptions. In Australia, people love to have sex out in the open – out of doors! The question put to its readers by a newspaper was ‘where is the spiciest place you have had sex?’ The responses varied and made for interesting reading – some said they would do it from the top of a tower, others said they would go underneath a bridge or do it in a disabled toilet or, just imagine, on a trampoline! No – there was no location on any tree-top but there were other choices galore - no wonder Perth can lay claim to being the sexiest city!

WA couples in love with sex in the great outdoors

sex, rape and murder

2009-05-25T21:08:00.001-07:00

She was a bubbly kid of seven and would accompany her mother when she went to do the dishes in the house of a renowned political leader of Nagpur. As the mother did the chores, the kid would play about the huge sprawling house. One day, her dead body was discovered inside a car which had automatic locking mechanism. The initial theory was that the poor kid had entered the car and the automatic door locked. She could not come out, she must have shouted for help and must have ultimately died of suffocation! But, on detailed investigation, it was revealed that she had been smothered to death; there were telltale marks on her neck and throat and bruises on her body. Most serious were the traces of blood and injuries to her private parts. Obviously, attempts were made to rape her and later she was murdered in cold blood. Who is the demon who could stop to such a low level?

Yogita's parents approach HC, demand CBI probe

Save environment plant trees

2009-05-14T23:31:00.000-07:00

The 5th of June is the World Environment Day. It has become a tradition that learned people get together on this day and discuss the fate that awaits our future generations. It has become an annual ritual in which there are innumerable participants but no concrete results. We curse the truant monsoons; we stare at helpless peasants waiting for rains in their parched soils when suddenly we hear of a dam burst inundating hundreds of villages elsewhere. Or of bush fires that leave behind burnt embers as memories of dark green vegetation that was home to innumerable varieties of flora and fauna. The smoldering leaves float in the wind spreading the smell of death – not only death of nature but gradual of mankind.

Any place where there is a multitude of greenery; there is peace, calm and quiet. Large trees like the Banyan give shelter to hundreds of birds, they provide shade to the weary traveler, and they are a thing of beauty – that is why we worship this tree. In the botanical garden in Kolkata, there is a banyan tree that is ageless – it has innumerable roots that go into the ground. People do not know which of these is the original trunk.

Cutting trees is a serious offence but, in cities, the axe falls indiscriminately on these protectors of environment – excuses that are put forth range from the innocent 'widening of road' to the bizarre 'for hoardings of ads to tell us to plant more trees'. The railways introduced tree plantation drives all along the sides of the railway tracks – plenty of funds must have been earmarked for this activity on a continuous basis but the results do not indicate any noteworthy progress. Similarly for the preservation of mangroves – these protect the coastlines and when plans are worked out to convert these into living areas like the salt pans of Mumbai, it foretells a bleak future for the environment.

Save environment ban plastic

2009-05-14T23:20:00.000-07:00

Protecting environment is everybody's business – we must take the initiative and put our foot down when we come across anyone who is flouting the norms. Formulating regulations and not being able to implement them is not what is required. If plastic bags are to be banned, let there be no limits laid down for thickness. A ban is a ban and is to be enforced. Those that churn out this poison must be taken to task. There again, they usually are those who have hit upon a novel business, their earnings go to feed the family. Therefore, they must be provided with alternative means of earning.

Then there are the throwaway plastic cups and glasses that one sees in the railways. Water in plastic pouches are served with food in trains. Mention must also be made of bottled water – some of the containers should fall in the banned category. Earthen containers to serve tea could have been a better substitute – these could be more costly but the additional financial burden would be borne by the travelers if it is forced upon them. After all, a cup of tea costs must more outside than that in the train. Similar earthen containers could be used in those dispensers that sell cold drinks – if the containers are painted, the youngsters would not even notice. In order to popularize these, some film celebrity could be roped in to say that he (or she) drinks only from such containers. Taking it a step further , in order to make a point, these containers could have numbers printed on the bottom – users could be given rewards for accumulating so many points and claim their gifts. Such advertisements would certainly wean away the youngsters from plastic cups; they fall for new twists very easily.

Save environment ban thermocol

2009-05-14T23:17:00.000-07:00

Thermocol is a bio non degradable product and is one more enemy of environment. The use of this product has grown in the past ten years or so – most packaged items rely on thermocol. Whether it is a television or a computer or a washing machine, the inner packaging is invariably of thermocol. It is easy to mould to shape and ensures damage free transportation of fragile consignments. But what happens to this ultra light weight packaging material once the product is taken out and the packaging discarded? Some use these for decorations – they can be easily cut into desired shapes, painted and used to liven up the walls. But, a majority of these find their way into dust bins and from there travel to the dumping grounds to remain buried in the heap of trash. Since these do not possess bio degradable qualities, they continue to remain intact.

Similarly for thermocol sheets used in schools and colleges, these are used for mounting drawings and photographs in exhibitions or in the showcases of shops or for decorating stalls in fairs. But, whatever is the purpose, at the end of the day they create environmental problems. Days of paper and cardboards have gone, so also have gone those corrugated sheets that one would fund in medicine bottles to support the bottle in its package. Thermocol has taken over and if things are not checked, the dumping grounds would get converted into mounds of thermocol, plastics and other such products like reels of music cassettes, damaged floppy discs, damaged compact discs etcetera that will annihilate mankind.

save environment - ban pollution

2009-05-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, pollution of the atmosphere is destroying the ecological balance that is so important for survival of all living beings. The picture is more or less the same in any large metropolis – the air is always heavy with the fumes of exhausts mixed with dust particles and other pollutants. Other pollutants could cover waste gases of nearby factories, and during festival times could be a result if burning firecrackers.

Indiscriminate use of petrol and other gaseous products result in the global warming phenomenon that is being discussed at practically every forum. Everyone is trying to find out solutions to contain the bad effects of gaseous pollutants. Keeping a check on the emission factors of vehicles is not given the seriousness that it deserves. On the one hand we suggest traveling to office in car pools – on the other we invite people to buy the latest model car because it has plenty of new gadgets that will set the owner apart from the commoners. Finance is easily available and, when the car is delivered, who would want to be a part of a car pool and not show off his latest acquisition? There is a new model released practically every month and, there are cases when families proudly declare that they own more than one car. Therefore, expecting car pools to operate to the satisfaction of environmentalists is asking for too much. We human beings want to make our presence felt on society and never bother about the serious repercussions of not heeding the warning signs.

Pure and healthy air is what the body requires and properly maintained parks are one means of inhaling fresh air – here again, open space comes at a premium. Specially constructed jogging tracks in natural surroundings are much sought after by the young and the old but, even now, we seldom walk short distances – instead, we rev up the car to go to the barber's or kick the scooter to go round the corner to pick up a friend. We should cultivate the habit of relying more on alternate means of movement rather depend always on a vehicle powered by petrol or diesel.

Lessons of Red Riding Hood

2009-05-08T05:09:00.000-07:00

At some point of time, someone somewhere visualized the dangers that lurk in every step for girls – and important lessons were passed on down the generations via bedtime stories like Little Red Riding Hood. There is hardly anyone who has not heard the story of the little girl who was sent by her mother to visit the sick grandmother. The child carried fruits and delicacies for the bedridden grandmother. A wolf saw the child and followed her to the house of grandma. Then, it devoured the old lady and lay in wait to taste more fresh and tasty morsels in the form of little Red Riding Hood.

The lessons are unambiguous –

Mothers should never send their little girls anywhere all alone and without chaperons
Girls should be very careful of strangers and suspicious of anything that appears to be out of the ordinary

Girls should know that villains hide beneath innocent looking dresses of do-gooders, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing

Self defence for working women and girls

2009-05-05T00:28:00.000-07:00

Women’s lib has seen the girls move out of their sheltered existences into the wide world for pursuing jobs and interests that allow them to enjoy life to the fullest. They are getting education and move about in a world of men. Many of these men treat women with contempt and consider them to be easy to exploit. These men dream up various means to satisfy their animal instincts. The sexual overtures exist at the workplaces and in pubic transports as well in the confines of the home.

In the work place – lewd remarks, coming uncomfortably close on some pretext, exhibitionism, displaying pornographic material in the form of either photographs or literature… uncouth language on the telephone … remedy is to pin down the culprit … confide in a couple of close friends and get the proof … like - tape the conversation or surprise the offender and force him to act differently …

While commuting to office – bottom inching, groping, fondling are common …. Resistance seldom gets the desired result … therefore, attack is one of the best options … keep needles or sharp blades handy and do not hesitate to use them…

Weapons of self defence – martial arts, pepper spray, stun guns etcetera

Citizen Journalist reporting on natural disasters or calamities or accidents

2009-04-28T05:12:00.000-07:00

These are unpredictable affairs – no one can forecast where there would be an earthquake or where a fire would engulf a shopping complex at the dead of night or when the flood waters would breach the dam and enter the villages. Neither can one anticipate any major accident or disaster like a running express train ramming into a stationary one or of terrorist attacks.

An alert Citizen Journalist should be prepared to move to the site at the first opportunity to obtain first hand information that he can supply to the real-time mainstream media.

While reporting he has to bear in mind the following general guidelines –

Whether help was delayed
Whether the rescue teams had come with proper equipment
Whether the medical treatments were prompt
Whether NGOs responded and how the locals extended assistance

The CJ should discuss with the persons who are affected as well as the administration on how the relief amounts would be calculated and distributed
The CJ should support all statements with photographs (videos preferable) as well as facts and figures.

The Citizen Journalist as a watchman

2009-04-24T04:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, this best sums up the work of a CJ. He always keeps his eyes open to happenings around him. Like – when on the road he sees people who flout the basic norms of safety while foot or on vehicles. The regular machinery of the law keeps watch on those who over speed or break traffic rules but to create awareness on safe walking and driving you have to be alert and observe whatever appears to be wrong –

See if the drivers of two wheeler wear helmets, if there is a pillion rider, he or she also should wear the head gear to protect the head in case of accidents – there should not be a third person. The driver must possess a valid driving license as well have all documents related to the vehicle with him.

Check out those driving four wheelers – they must fasten their seat belts; they should have all documents of the vehicle as well the papers and be in possession of valid driving license. They should also have a first aid kit with them.

Watch out for pedestrians – they must use the footpaths or sidewalks, they must cross roads at the designated location identified by the zebra crossings, and they must queue up in an orderly manner at the bus stops. Where there is an encroachment of the footpaths or sidewalks, bring that to the notice of civic authorities. Support your facts with photographs and statements of locals for ore authenticity and better effects.

In case you happen to see any accident taking place, you should not hesitate to offer help. If it pertains to a hit and run case or rash driving, note down the registration number of the vehicle and inform the police.

While covering playgrounds for kids

2009-04-22T00:03:00.000-07:00

Children and playgrounds are interrelated. The open spaces are vanishing and, the modern concept is to reserve tiny plots where the local kids can come to play and enjoy the bounties of nature to the extent available. Similar places are also a part of apartment blocks. These are usually reserved for the kids of the occupants.

When a Citizen Journalist wants to carry out an assignment on playgrounds of kids, he has to approach it with confidence. It is a difficult proposition and the journalist must have a pleasing personality to influence those associated with the management of the facility.

Most important aspect are the safety and security - those who are responsible for the maintenance of these playgrounds have to observe plenty of dos and don’ts so that the kids can play in safe surroundings.

The swings, ladders, seesaws should be rigid

In case of water bodies, these should be suitably protected

If the water bodies are large enough for swimming, there has to be trained persons who should oversee

The greenery should be devoid of weeds and poisonous plants

There has to be restrictions on throwing litter and dirtying the surroundings, litter bins should be placed at regular intervals

The gates must be guarded so that unwanted people do not enter

There should be swift communication network between the guards and managers as well as link up with the local law machinery

The parents or guardians of rowdy kids should be kept updated on the mischief they play.

When the CJ reports on kid related topics …

2009-04-21T03:53:00.000-07:00

Kids mean schools, playgrounds, and illness apart from unbridled freedom. They can be grouped into categories depending from where they come and how they live. Those at the high end would normally be out of reach of ordinary CJs – so it s advisable not to pursue that line. The bulk of kids who attract attention are those who are in the middle income groups – these parents have high expectations from their offspring and the market is large enough to attract the innumerable products that are meant exclusively for kids. So are their problems …

Select the areas surrounding the school – the free availability of fast foods and eatables that are sold in the open are veritable sources of illness – there are usually restrictions on what can be sold openly and how such products should be sold. Check the actual situation and note down those who do not adhere to the instructions. Take photographs, meet and talk with the parents and the children, – get their opinions …. meet the vendors who flout the norms, also identify those who do follow – highlight the latter – it makes them feel better and simultaneously encourages the erring ones to improve … …

These would do for starters …

What can a CJ report?

2009-04-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

Let the journalists of the mainstream concentrate of political leaders and the movie folks – that opens up the field for the Citizen journalists because there are so many other relevant topics that are crying out for attention. The Citizen Journalist is free to report on any subject that pleases him – it could be any irritant of his neighborhood or on everyday happenings that have a bearing on how we live and how we have to continuously fend off troubles and fears. Some examples will help to understand the philosophy behind what defines a citizen journalist of a high order.

Corruption is thee in all walks of life – practical applications of how the corrupt operate is an aspect that can be highlighted – for example catching a corrupt person red handed when he is accepting illegal gratification –

Or – show to others how the local corporator neglects his territory – the unhealthy surroundings, heaps of uncleared garbage, stray dogs, beggars, the bad condition of roads, the taps that run dry, lack of bus shelters … the list could be a very long one.

Then there are special drives to capture the sad plight of children in juvenile homes and senior citizens in homes for elders. There is a gulf of difference between what they advertise and what they actually give. The CJs could zero in on such subjects that people want to know about.

Citizen Journalists never say die

2009-04-17T00:07:00.000-07:00

I pride myself on being a very dogmatic and determined individual. I have never shied from any task, no matter how impossible it might seem. Therefore, when I came to know of this fantastic offer for freelance Citizen Journalists, I sat up. The target date was 15th April 2009 and I learnt about it only on the 20th March 2009. I had hardly 25 days in which to get at least 10,000 hits to become eligible for the incentive of $100 … well, believe it or not, I very nearly did manage to get it. My 180 odd reports received nearly 9,000 hits … hopefully, the website would extend the target date and my $100 would arrive. This would be the beginning of a new association because the website does not stop at 10,000 hits – the incentive continues in multiples of 10,000 … if you want to know more, please send me a mail –
prabirghose@gmail.com

an update – the last date for eligibility has been extended to 1st may 2009 – I should get my $100 after all very soon …

Qualities of a good Citizen Journalist

2009-04-14T03:46:00.000-07:00

The Citizen Journalist has to report a happening and, obviously, the packaging counts a lot. If the packaging does not strike the viewer or the reader as attractive, the report would not serve any purpose except to add to a whole lot of unwanted experiments. It would earn poor marks, people would ignore it. But that is not what the CJ wants – he wants his report to generate a feeling in the minds of those who matter and might be instrumental in bringing about changes in attitude of how things are tackled. The following points could be considered to be the qualities of a good Citizen Journalist:

Be honest, accept mistakes
Protect your sources
Think up juicy headers
Tackle issues that will help you influence the thinking of people and gain readership
Accepts brickbats with equal grace as you would the bouquets

Websites of Citizen Journalism

2009-04-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

Fox News, CBS, Jump On Citizen Journalism Content Harvesting Bandwagon

20/3/2007 - Red Herring reports that both CBS and Fox News have decided to start the push to harvest more "citizen journalism" for their channels. So, what does this mean to you, the citizen, who might want to send your vidphone shots of your dog jumping through a flaming hula hoop??
http://spap-oop.blogspot.com/2007/03/red-herring-reports-that-both-cbs-and.html

Flood coverage

26/6/2007 - Citizen journalism is making the news again. We have been all but overwhelmed with photos and videos from our audiences of the widespread flooding. As well as the dramatic rescue helicopter footage (for which many thanks, as ever, to the RAF) by lunchtime on Tuesday, the BBC had received well over 3,000 still images and 200 mobile phone videos - most from stranded motorists and people whose homes and businesses had been ruined by the rising waters.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2007/06/flood_coverage.html

27/2/2008 - To put it bluntly, India is mobile mad. Indian citizen journalism may thrive across a range blog networks, photo and video sites but what singles it out and makes it unique is the proliferation of micro and mobile blogging sites.
Online Journalism India: Moblogging is citizen journalism in India

BBC launches Indian citizen journalism project

The BBC has launched an online citizen journalism initiative to target an audience of Urdu speakers in India…… Mohammed Hanif, head of BBC Urdu, said the scheme would raise awareness of the BBC's Urdu site amongst Urdu-speakers in India, where internet usage is growing. …. "Lucknow, Hyderabad, Bhopal and Aligarh are centres of knowledge and talent, and we are looking forward to meeting our existing and future audiences there," said Hanif.
http://www.journalism.co.uk/13/articles/530645.php

Citizen Journalist – be the change
http://cj.ibnlive.in.com/

Citizen Journalists Provided Glimpses of Mumbai Attacks

From his terrace on Colaba Causeway in south Mumbai, Arun Shanbhag saw the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel burn. He saw ambulances leave the Nariman House. And he recorded every move on the Internet……
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/world/asia/30twitter.html

"…. The real contribution of citizen journalists in a story like this, where whole areas of land are closed off and the fields of greatest danger keep shifting, is in having more eyes on the ground," Thomas Hollihan, a professor of media at the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California, told the Baltimore Sun. "Citizen journalists are swapping information back and forth - reporting where the flames are now headed or showing images on their cell phones of the fire. And with so much happening so quickly, that kind of information can be really powerful - if it is accurate…..."

Social media used to keep flood victims informed
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/social_media_red_cross_floods.php

31/3/2009 - For more than a century, journalism operated the same way: a news event occurred, an “official” reporter wrote about it, an editor reshaped it, a headline writer contributed to it, a designer/producer fit the story into a prefabricated and limiting format, and it was all distributed to consumers at a predetermined time for consumption the way the “professionals” proscribed. Today, in only 10 years, that model has been ripped apart: anyone can now manufacture and globally distribute news and we can select what news we want to read however and whenever we want to read it. This is good if you believe in freedom of speech. But it’s not so good if you demand consistently high editorial standards and desire quality reporting. Since the editorial filter is non-existent in citizen journalism, every reader must exercise discernment to know what to accept as fact and what to jettison as fiction.
(AEJMC – Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication)

Extracts from ‘The Official Blog of AEJMC’
http://aejmc.org/talk/?cat=33

How I became a Citizen Journalist

2009-04-08T22:59:00.000-07:00

Writing is in my blood. My first English story in print appeared in the Sunday Statesman when I was 14 years old – the year was 1958. The next one was in 1961 in the Times of India. Later, in the course of my service, I secured several prizes in in-house essay competitions. Therefore, when I retired from service, I took up blogging as a hobby. That helped me get recognition – I found a mention in the 2007 edition of the Limca Book of Records as ‘the most prolific blogger’. Suddenly, I received an e-mail – it was an offer to write for a website of Citizen Journalism. Named the Merinews, it was based in New Delhi. I accepted the offer and, within a short time, my writings found appreciation among the readers. In June 2008, I was chosen as the ‘CJ of the Month’ by Merinews.

Citizen Journalist of Merinews, New Delhi
http://www.merinews.com/cj/prabirghose

My presence on another Citizen Journalism website -

http://www.allvoices.com/users/prabirghose

My blog REDISCOVERING INDIA (2376 posts; 930,000 plus cumulative views as on 9/4/2009) is available on
http://o3.indiatimes.com/rediscoveringindia

Who can be a Citizen Journalist?

2009-04-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

The concept of Citizen Journalism is a totally new one. It involves members of the public who play a major role to collect, correlate, and report, analyze and disseminate news and information. The media could be the text, video or a combination depending on availability and convenience. Obviously, Citizen Journalists provide independent, reliable, accurate, wide-ranging and relevant information which is what democracy needs.

Citizen journalists are people who do not usually possess any professional journalism training but can use the tools of modern technology and the global distribution of the Internet to create, augment or fact-check media on their own or in collaboration with others.

Puneities hail the Citizens' Manifesto : India 2067 campaign

‘…..Thereafter, some citizens came forward and voiced their opinions on the issues that plague our society and suggested as what can be done to help curb these problems. Among them was a prominent Merinews CJ from Nasik Prabir Ghose, who suggested that ’no-vote’ option should be introduced in Electronic Voting Machines. …’

http://www.indiaprwire.com/pressrelease/publishing/2008072911545.htm

‘ … More recently, Allvoices launched in July 2008. Its CEO, Amra Tareen, is a Muslim American and former venture capitalist who created the site after having done charity work in her native Pakistan. While there she noted there was no central hub on the Internet where anyone, anywhere could witness and then instantly report from their perspective news as it happened. Allvoices uses a combination of technology and community to vet stories for authenticity and popularity. The site takes contributions from around the world via any Internet-connected device and its contributors frequently break stories before the mainstream media. Allvoices was also the first citizen journalism site to measure the credibility of contributed reports and their authors, providing readers with a gauge launched in March 2009 for assessing the accuracy of news accounts…..’

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_journalism

How to become an effective Citizen Journalist

2009-04-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

In order to become an effective Citizen Journalist, you must have an eye open for observation and the ear to the ground to capture the voices and sounds. And, since you get maximum reach through English, it is preferable that you have complete hold over the language. Citizen Journalists are basically freelancers and not tied down by rules of organizations, except that the news should not offend anyone and should be authentic. It all depends on your own self – if you want to follow a trail, by all means – go ahead. The choice is yours. There might be dangers lurking in the shadows especially when you try your hand at sting operations but, when you land a worthwhile catch, it compensates for the trouble.