Newspapers use citizen journalists to search Sarah Palin emails
Summary of story from OhmyNews International, June 18, 2011
Citizen journalism expert Susan Cormier has highlighted how major newspapers use the public to assist in the news gathering process, following the official release of emails detailing Sarah Palin’s time as governor of Alaska (WVoN story here).
After 24,199 pages of printed emails were unveiled, publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and the Guardian, posted them online and asked readers to search through them.
Writing for the OhmyNews International citizen journalism blog, Cormier lamented:
“While this isn’t exactly how I envisioned citizens helping in the news process, I’m guessing all those extra eyes and brains can be helpful when you’re dealing with an overabundance of documents.
“I just wish citizens would get as excited about helping the media cover news in their cities and towns as they do about looking at old emails of big-name politicians.”
I think the only thing newsworthy about the networks’ interest in Sarah Palin’s emails is that THEY FOUND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEWSWORTHY. Now THAT’S news!