IS CITIZEN JOURNALISM A THREAT OR CHALLENGE TO PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM?

Citizen journalism is when private individuals, do most of what professional journalism reporters do on their own or in collaboration without professional training, or the idea to enable the audience to participate in the gathering and disseminating of  news about events and occurrences by the means of the latest communication technologies. According to Ms. Solana Larsen, managing editor of the Global Voices, said that, “citizen journalism is not a competitor for the professional journalism in the world”.

We live in a time of change and there is little doubt in mind that we are seeing a shift in how people find and consume news and information. Citizen journalists do their best to report on issues but it is still not the end to journalism. Therefore, citizen journalism is neither a threat nor challenge when it comes to professional journalism.

          Many people are no longer satisfied in just listening to the thoughts and opinions of professional experts, but rather want to involve or participate in the process of discussing and interacting with the news. For that matter, we are seeing more and more focus upon citizen journalism where millions of people have the means to engage in reporting of news simply using their mobile phones to snap a photo of a news worthy event happening.

Citizen journalism is created just to express the voice of the general people instead of proving it as the platform of journalism. In other words, the expression of speech of the people.

         Citizen journalists rather help the professional journalist to go into an information or story which were unaware to the trained journalist and give it a wider exposure.

         

BEADS MAKING IN GHANA

Beads are some of the most stunningly attractive and varied items of jewellery and thus have been the most popular components of personal adornment.

The Krobo’s of the Odumase-Krobo believed to be the manufacture of beads in Ghana. They were using clay only in the olden days before until recently became incorporated with the powder- glass beads in the 16^th century. Hence, clay and powder-glass are the order of the day for the manufacturing of beads in Ghana, Niger and Nigeria.

The production of beads is made out of mud, sticks and stones, grinding the glass that have been recycled  from bottles, jars and broken beads to a fire powder, washing and stringing the finished beads onto raffia strips ready to be sold.

This tradition remains intact and today, the Bida of Nigeria and the krobo’s of Ghana are the two of most important African bead manufactures. Beads have been used throughout the world in countless ways as status symbols, talismans, bangles, bracelets, as marriage assets,  festival celebrations, puberty rites, marriage ceremony’s, waist beads, hair decoration and in recent times as bow tie for men and women.

In recent times, Some Ghanaian beads are also made from metals which have been made from centuries. Though metal and powdered-glass have been discovered attached to clay, they are made today in much the same way as they were then by artisans who learnt the techniques from their ancestors.

Beads can be your passion as they are mine. Use beads to decorate yourself as a true African.

Join me for more information as I take you deeper into the world of beads and its relevance in Ghana.

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