A citizen journalist is a "prod-user." As opposed to consuming media, the audience/user creates "their own text," "establishing the media discourse" on a subject. (Fischer 3)
In the Neda Video, a citizen uses a cell phone video recorder to capture the death of Neda. As we discussed in class, the Iranian government would likely never allow, let alone produce, a media text like this video. It reflects poorly on Ahmadinejad by showing the consequences of his oppression. This gives the text authority because someone who views the video will believe that it's author is a person whom; a) is against the oppressive force, and b) is doing something about it.
The citizen journalist is often involved with text media through expose, or counter-culture narrative. Deep-Throat, Bob Woodward, Julian Assange, etc. have all made a career of exposing government scandal and wrong-doing. Their authority is recognized by the very nature of their motivations. A citizen journalist is trusted and heard by the 'users' because he/she is also a 'user,' and assumed to have similar best-interests. They become a hero of the people because they are an enemy of the state.
In "The Color Green and the G-Factor," Fischer mentions the Neda author sent the video out of Iran and that more than one person put their life at risk to ensure it's release. Clearly this, the secret identity of Deep-Throat and the in-hiding life of Julian Assange indicate their value and the reliability of their texts, because...why would anyone care to harm them if it weren't true?
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