In this article, Aaron Barlow discusses how the traditional role of gatekeeping in journalism has been redefined thanks to the Internet and new media. Gatekeeping used to be in the hands of professionals only, but because of blogging and social networking, everyday citizens are now able to express their feelings and opinions about the news. One one hand, citizens are no longer at the mercy of mainstream media and can now put their input on the internet for the world to see. On the other hand, just how reliable are "average" citizens? Furthermore, why should journalists be treated as respectable professionals if their jobs can be done by anyone?
Although mainstream news media websites (BBC, Toronto Star, etc.) allow comments, the commenting system is heavily monitored defeating the purpose of users expressing their feelings towards the news coverage. With blogging, users can post what news and opinions they wish without professional gatekeepers censoring their posts. Sites like Blogspot, Wordpress, and even Tumblr and Facebook have allowed citizens to assume the role of gatekeepers.
As Barlow discusses in his article, citizen gatekeeping also has its downfalls. "Screaming matches" can occur as everyone wants to have their voices heard. Since comments are not controlled as fiercely like on mainstream news media sites, this can result in arguments. This is a reason why some believe that gatekeeping should be left to professional journalists only.
I believe that gatekeeping should be a team effort between professionals and citizens. Citizen journalists should use the expertise of professionals as a guide to how they should conduct themselves. This gives citizens the power to say what they wish, but also while keeping an air of professionalism. Despite the line between professional journalists and citizen journalists blurring, I believe that professional journalists will still retain an important place in the world of news.
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