Citizen Journalism

Citizen journalism actually refers to the concept whereby the world’s citizens feel an obligation to report on significant events that they are a witness of or participant in. For example, the Virginia Tech shootings or the Mumbai terror attacks were first reported by people with access to a camera, a computer, and the internet.

While many people give this content away for free, there are websites and companies willing to pay for a well written piece of journalism. The catch is that you will be paid significantly less than the traditional reporter from your local Daily Herald, but you do have a much wider range of possibilities in front of you. The most famous of these sites is without a doubt Associated Content, but there are others as well. You might even want to check with local newspapers...For example, if you were a longtime resident of Towson, Maryland and have recently moved away, that does not ipso facto exclude you from contributing to the Towson Times. If you have access to a telephone and the internet, then you can report on local city council meetings. Frankly I think this loses a little in the translation, but if you’re a good writer, then there’s a market for your service!