Definition and current state of citizen journalism
Citizen journalism refers to the active participation of citizens in the creation and dissemination of news and information. This usually takes place outside of traditional editorial offices, for example via blogs, social media, video platforms or podcasts. Citizen journalism - often referred to as participatory or grassroots journalism - reports independently on local events, shares specialist knowledge or comments on events from a subjective perspective. In democratic countries, it complements the diversity of the media by addressing niche topics or neglected aspects. In repressive systems, it often contributes to uncovering abuses by providing uncensored information. It is important to note that citizen journalism is not necessarily a substitute for professional journalism, but rather a complement to it and an extension of it with new perspectives.
In Germany, citizen journalism has gained a foothold, particularly in the local area. Many local newspapers invite readers to contribute articles as citizen reporters. Examples include participatory portals such as myheimat.de, which have been used by regional publishers since the 2000s to incorporate user contributions into their reporting. Overall, however, the German news landscape is still heavily dominated by professional media; independent citizen journalism portals (still) play a comparatively minor role. Nevertheless, new digital initiatives are enabling committed citizens to make their voices heard. For example, the research center CORRECTIV operates the CrowdNewsroom, a platform on which citizens and reporters collect data and research stories together. Major media outlets are also integrating civic engagement into their content, e.g. through reader advisory boards, surveys or guest contributions. The current trend shows mixed developments: On the one hand, there is (still) a denser network of local media in Germany than in the USA; on the other hand, local editorial offices are also coming under economic pressure here - most recently documented by the Madsack takeover of the DDV media group or the closure of the Wochenkurier on September 30, 2025 - and new participatory projects are gaining in importance.
In the USA, citizen journalism has partly grown out of necessity. Since 2005, the USA has lost around 3,000 local newspapers, leading to so-called news deserts. In areas without a local newspaper - over 70 million people are affected - transparency and democratic participation suffer noticeably. Two-thirds of local journalist jobs have disappeared during this period, leaving over half of all US counties with hardly any news sources of their own. In this gap, more and more citizen journalists are getting involved: citizens who document local grievances via social media, their own news blogs or YouTube channels and keep an eye on the government and police. These grassroots reporters take on an important watchdog function by monitoring authorities, especially where there is a lack of professional local journalists. Citizens also play a role as content providers on a national level - for example, when eyewitnesses post photos or videos of events that are then picked up by the media. At the same time, US media companies are increasingly using digital networks and foundation models to promote local news start-ups. Examples include new, community-oriented local media such as Richland Source (Ohio) or Lookout Local (Santa Cruz), which have emerged in recent years. They focus on innovative approaches and some have already won journalistic awards, which shows that citizen and community journalism in the US has gone from being an experiment to a serious player.
Central challenges of citizen journalism
- Quality and credibility: Citizen journalists are mostly amateurs without formal training. Their articles rarely undergo professional editing or fact-checking, which can sometimes lead to lower quality and neutrality. Personal experiences or opinions have a strong influence, and the accounts are not always based on verified facts. This can affect credibility and carries the risk of misinformation in the news stream. The challenge is to ensure truthfulness and journalistic standards despite the lack of an editorial team so that the audience can trust them.
- Funding and sustainability: Citizen journalism is often voluntary or part-time. Many write without pay or for low pay, which provides low-cost content but also puts pressure on the professional market. Above all, however, there is the question of financial sustainability: there is often a lack of business models to ensure continuous reporting. Projects are often dependent on donations, funding or voluntary commitment. Positive examples show that alternative financing methods are possible - for example through foundations, sponsorship or community funding. Overall, however, funding remains a key hurdle, because without an economic basis, even the most committed citizen reporters will burn out in the long term.
- Visibility and reach: In the flood of digital content, the voice of amateur reporters is easily drowned out. Although social media theoretically offer everyone a platform, their algorithms often favor well-known sources or viral content anyway. Citizen journalists are therefore fighting for attention in competition with big media brands. In addition, they often lack knowledge of SEO (search engine optimization) or strategic distribution. Without an editorial infrastructure, their research often only reaches a small audience. Cooperative platform approaches can help here: For example, freelance authors on DieSachsen.de benefit from the high Google visibility of the established domain. In general, however, generating reach remains a key problem for citizen journalism.
- Trust and reputation: The lack of an established brand name or press seal of approval makes it difficult for citizen journalists to gain the public's trust. In times of fake news, unknown sources are viewed with skepticism. In addition, trolls or political agitators sometimes try to pose as citizen journalists in order to spread disinformation. This undermines the credibility of genuine grassroots reporting. This makes transparency and networking all the more important.
- Legal aspects and recognition: Legally, citizen reporters in democracies generally enjoy freedom of expression and freedom of the press. In practice, however, they sometimes come up against hurdles. For example, press conferences or events are sometimes only made accessible to accredited journalists. An incident in Texas illustrates the problem: a citizen journalist who was filming local police operations was removed from a press conference and even temporarily detained because the authorities refused to recognize him as a "media representative". Such cases illustrate the lack of institutional protection. There are also legal risks - such as warnings or lawsuits - that citizen journalists without a publisher behind them have to deal with on their own.
Opportunities through AI for committed citizen journalists
- Text generation and writing assistance: AI can help with the creation of articles, automate standard reports and assist with proofreading. In the USA, for example, Richland Source uses AI to create match reports on high school sports.
- Fact-checking and research assistance: Tools such as Sensity AI or the InVID/WeVerify plugin help to check images and videos for manipulation. Systems such as Full Fact analyze politicians' speeches in real time. Google's Fact Check Explorer also makes work easier for citizen reporters.
- Increasing reach: AI optimizes headlines, social media texts and publication times. Platforms such as Patch in the USA automatically generate local newsletters for communities.
- Efficiency gains: AI-supported transcription, translation and data visualization save time. This allows citizen journalists to work more professionally and use new storytelling formats.
Case studies
Germany:
- DieSachsen.de: Platform for citizen and local journalism that offers AI-supported support for text work and guarantees reach via an established domain.
- CORRECTIV CrowdNewsroom: Involves citizens in investigative research and evaluates data with digital tools.
- myheimat.de: Early example of citizen reporter portals in German-speaking countries.
USA:
- Bellingcat: International platform for open source research, uses AI-supported tools and community knowledge.
- Patch: Hyperlocal news network that generates local newsletters with AI.
- Hyperlocal blogs such as ARLnow: use AI for corrections and social media distribution.
Platform journalism and citizen journalism
Platform journalism bundles content from different providers on shared infrastructures. For citizen journalists, this means lower barriers to entry, greater reach and support with monetization. Platforms such as DieSachsen.de show how technical infrastructure, reach and refinancing can work together to strengthen citizen journalism in the long term.
Conclusion
Citizen journalism in Germany and the USA is characterized by major challenges, but offers enormous opportunities. AI tools can help committed individuals to make their content more professional and visible. Platform journalism provides the technical and organizational basis to take citizen journalism to the next level. For foundations and journalists, this means that investing in platforms, training and AI skills is key to keeping the democratic public sphere diverse in the future.
