Mediatised Participation: Citizen Journalism and the Decline in User-Generated Content in Online News Media

A review of academic literature reveals a decline in user-generated content and citizen journalism within online news media, contrary to initial expectations of widespread audience participation. While early web tools fostered optimism for 'democratizing' news through citizen contributions, practical challenges have limited audience engagement.

Why it matters

The decline in user-generated content in news media indicates a strategic challenge for organizations that rely on audience engagement for content generation or perceived democratic value. Understanding this trend is critical for re-evaluating digital engagement strategies and managing expectations regarding audience participation in online platforms.

Key insights

• The advent of web tools approximately two decades ago led to the proactive incorporation of audiences into media, giving rise to citizen journalism and user-generated content.
• These participatory models were initially valued for their potential to democratize information and empower citizens to emulate professional journalistic practices.
• Despite initial enthusiasm, subsequent difficulties emerged, leading to limitations in audience participation in news media.
• A systematic literature review indicates a general low interest among audiences in content creation.
• The concept of 'mediatised participation' describes this phenomenon of limited audience engagement.
• The study is a critical review of existing research on audience participation in news media.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.11159