Part 2: And the Best Picture goes to...

On the day of the OSCARS  I give you the second part to my series on the favourite movies of Joe Public. I surveyed a variety of people and so far we have had films such as, Rob Reiner's 'Stand By Me' to the modern Christmas caper, 'Elf'. This second post provides an eclectic selection of films visiting the land of 'Oz', the town of Bedford Falls and the wilderness of Alaska. Nonetheless, we'll also meet prostitues, choirmasters and magicians but perhaps most surprisingly, Lindsay Lohan. 

Robin Hood: Prince of Theives

A 90's version of a classic tale sees Kevin Costner take the title role with Alan Rickman starring as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Whilst some audiences liked it, one top film critic wrote, 

"A murky, unfocused, violent and depressing version of the classic story, with little of the lightheartedness and romance we expect from Robin Hood."

Not exactly a ringing endorsement then...

Starring: Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman
Director: Kevin Reynolds

Fanpop.com

It's a Wonderful Life

I've written about this film before as it is certainly in my top five. James Stewart perfectly plays the role of George Bailey, a man down on his luck who is contemplating suicide. Bailey receives a visit from an angel who shows him how the world would be had he never existed:

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

A story about family, friendship and compassion but also greed. My only criticism is that its adopted the role of a Christmas classic but Frank Capra has created masterpiece that should be watched all year round. 

Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed
Director: Frank Capra

dvdizzy.com

Gone with the Wind

There is no doubting that this film is a classic and if you don't agree, well...frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. Winner of ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh keep us enthralled for a whopping 238 minutes. Nevertheless,  don't let the mammoth running time put you off this story of romance and drama set in the Deep South amongst the backdrop of the American Civil War. 

guardian.co.uk

Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh
Director: Victor Fleming

Les Choriste

This is the only foreign language film in my survey and what a film it is. Gerard Jugnot stars as a teacher at a boys boarding school in the French countryside. Jugnot's character attempts struggles to get through to the boys but soon finds success by assembling a choir . The pupils transform from misbehaving  youngsters into motivated and inspired individuals in a heartwarming story with a wonderful soundtrack, 

Starring: Gerard Jugnot
Director: Christophe Barratier

The Wizard of Oz

'Follow the yellow brick road..." The iconic tale of Dorothy and Toto rocketed Judy Garland, at the age of just 16, into stardom and film history. Described by a voter as a masterpiece for its time between its transition from black and white to colour and how it's remained an all time classic to this day proves what a classic it is!"

Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan
Director: Victor Fleming

"There's an audience for Oz, wherever there's a projection machine and a screen." John C Filnn Snr.

 thefilmstage.com

Into the Wild

Based on a true story, 'Into the Wild' follows the story of Christopher McCandless who travels to various places in North America spending a lot of his time in an abandoned bus out in the wilderness of Alaska. Sean Penn is behind the lens of this non-linear narrative, as McCandless graduates from University but rather than pursuing a career he leaves his conventional life. He embarks on an adventure that sees him forge friendships but ultimately live a life of isolation, a leap into the wild. 

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Kristen Stewart
Director: Sean Penn

firstshowing.net

Donnie Darko

A mind boggling film that includes a six-foot rabbit but still a movie that althought it didn't do too well on its release, has become a firm favourite with audiences and critics.  A thought provoking story and a stellar performance from a young Jake Gyllenhaal combined with a 'genius soundtrack' ensure that Donnie Darko will boggle minds for many years to come. 

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore
Director: Richard Kelly

Pretty Woman

The second RomCom in the survey and again it stars, Julia Roberts. Set in L.A. it sees a businessman, played by Richard Gere, hire an escort for various business events. Nonetheless, over time, Gere falls in love with her. It may sound cheesy but what's wrong with that? Sometimes everyone needs a feel good, schmaltzy film. It has also been seen as one of the most popular films ever, with the highest ever grossing in the United States for a romantic comedy and often regarded by critics as the best of its genre.

cineplex.com

Starring: Richard Gere, Julia Roberts
Director: Garry Marshall

The Prestige

Christopher Nolan is one of Hollywood's hottest directors after a series of fantastic films during the past decade and 'The Prestige' is certainly one of them. Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson and even David Bowie star in a story about two battling magicians (Jackman and Bale). For years they have been rivals as they search for the ultimate illusion. Obsession and jealousy are prominent themes in a twisting, mysterious and atmospheric film. 

movpins.com

Starring: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman
Director: Christopher Nolan

The Parent Trap

A bit of a curveball in my survey sees the Lindsay Lohan remake of Disney classic, 'The Parent Trap' enter the survey. Perhaps Lohan's second most famous film after 'Mean Girls', this sees her play both separated twins who meet at an American summer camp. They then swap places, one goes to the mother's home in London and the other to the Father's house, in the beautiful vineyards of California. They are determined to reunite their parents but face various obstacles including an interfering two-faced potential stepmother. Lots of laughs and a perfect film for the whole family. 

"Movies like this remember how much fun escapism can be"- Roger Egbert, film critic

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson
Director: Nancy Meyers

mirror.co.uk

London 2012- Inspired a generation and more

It would be an understatement to suggest that the London 2012 Olympics were a resounding success. Inspired a generation? You bet it did. Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Tom Daley, Usain Bolt, the list goes on and on. These athletes didn't just inspire one generation but all.

The Olympics brought a buzz do the whole of Great Britain. People were smiling. Post Boxes were turning gold. The country was glued to the fantastic BBC coverage. These athletes presented exceptional role models to everyone and many contrasted them to the pampered overpaid modern footballers. Everywhere you looked there were stories to be told, such as the first Saudi Arabian female competitor to personal stories such as Tom Daley's strength to take bronze after losing his dad in 2011. London 2012 offered so many incredible moments that means it is incredibly difficult to single out favourites. I asked the question on Twitter and it seems other people feel the same way. Tom McMinigal stated, "The most amazing thing about the games for me is that from our perspective there's been so many amazing individual stories".

Insidethegames.biz

Hannah Dunnett (@dunzel123) suggested that her top three moments included, Tom Daley diving to win bronze, Federer's dignity in defeat versus Murray and also when a boy from the crowd asked for a hug from Andy Murray. Jo Hopewell (@lilHopewell) said her favourite moments also included Tom Daley, the many rowing medals and Mo Farah's golds. Each of these moments and many more are drenched in a glitter that has captivated the eyes of the public. Moments of magic that have inspired a nation to participate in sport.

"The Olympic Spirit is neither the property of one race nor of one age." Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the Modern Olympic Games

Nonetheless, the athletes were not the only winners at the 2012 Olympics. London was showcased unbelievably through the various venues. The opening ceremony and track and field events created iconic moments that will go down in history. The Beach volleyball in the historic horseguards parade, races finishing on infront of Buckingham Palace, horses galloping through luscious British gardens and of course the phenomenal Olympic park.  This was a phenomenal advertisement for London and Britain.

View of beach volleyball from the London Eye

Here is a selection of my favourite moments of the London 2012 Olympics:

Jessica Ennis

The poster girl of the Olympics overcomes the pressure of the nation upon her and takes gold in style in the women's heptathlon.

ITV

Mo Farah

An incredible story that shows the wonderful modern multicultural Britain. Farah grabs two golds to ensure everyone is doing the Mobot.

Telegraph.co.uk

David Rudisha

Kenyan, Rudisha, smashes the world record in the 800m in style. Also seems like an incredibly nice guy when interviewed.

comrz.com

Tom Daley

The 18 year old, Plymouth diver, holds his nerve to secure a phenomenal bronze and celebrates with his team by jumping in the pool.

guardian.co.uk

Gemma Gibbons

The moment she qualified for her Judo semi-final was goosebump making. The crowd roared as Gemma looked up to the sky and mouthed "I love you Mum", who sadly passed away when Gemma was a teenager.

Usain Bolt

This guy personifies coolness and confirmed his legend status with three gold medals. Entertaining whenever the cameras are on him. Bolt has done wonders to inspire youngsters into running. 

Telegraph.co.uk

Katherine Grainger

After three successive silvers in previous Olympic games, Grainger finally secured that Gold she had been after for so long. This was followed by an emotional hug with Olympic legend, Sir Steve Redgrave.

Dailyrecord.co.uk

I could go on and on with the individual stories, Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins, Laura Trott, Victoria Pendleton, Louis Smith, Beth Tweddle, Greg Rutherford, the rowers, the kayaker's  and Andy Murray all provided moments to smile, be proud, inspire and motivate. Everyone was tuning into sports they had never watched before, became experts on dressage, tweeted messages to athletes. This was the social media games with more than 150 million tweets being recorded during the games. The public became citizen journalists in the heart of the action, uploading images and stories to Facebook, tweeting messages and 'instagramming' moments they'll remember forever.

"When our time came, we did it right. Britain, thank you."

Lord Sebastian Coe at the Opening Ceremony 

London 2012 was a celebration of positivity and peace. As the Olympic charter states that the aim of the games is, “using non-discriminatory sport to educate the globe’s citizens on values of peace, justice, mutual understanding and international friendship”. I think it's fair to say it achieved this aim. Sport provided a vehicle to bring people together as well as inspiring generations. A legacy left for a bright future. 

If only the Olympics could be a yearly thing. 

What were your favourite moments of the games? Tell me by leaving a comment below.

Fundraising and Social Media

I am currently managing the promotion of a charity cycle ride from Lands End to John O'Groats and within hours I have seen how powerful social media can be in raising awareness of just the smallest campaigns.

At 62 years old Richard Day has recently been diagnosed with diabetes and subsequently, took up cycling to improve his fitness. Nonetheless, today saw him begin a cycle ride from Lands End to John O'Groats to raise money for the NSPCC. He wanted to challenge himself whilst doing good for a fantastic charity.

(Richard at Lands End on 29th August)

Facebook and Twitter has proved integral in raising awareness of Richard's challenge, allowing individuals to interact with his journey. Real-time updates allow the public to see Richard's progress, hear funny stories about his journey and also follow his route.

Facebook allows users to offer encouraging messages of support but also to share the cause through likes, 'shares' and commenting.  Twitter similarly, through retweets can reach a huge audience, especially if targeted to relevant celebrities, such as Mark Cavendish, Tom Daley and various sports journalists.

If you would like to follow Richard's progress on Facebook, please like his: Facebook page or alternatively follow him on Twitter at: @DayCycleRide.  Additionally, you can donate as much or a little as you want by clicking on this link: Richard Day's Fundraising Page.

Social Media has the ability to raise the profile of the smallest campaigns to raise significant awareness. One man's spirit and compassion coupled with social media's ability to increase awareness could really help charities such as the NSPCC. A snowball effect of charity.

Social Media and Newspapers- A twist on a tale

Newspapers have certain stigmas attached to them. The Daily Mail perceived to be bemoaning everything wrong with Britain. The Sun renowned for page 3. The News of the World obviously destroyed its reputation with the phone hacking scandal. Murdoch subsequently launched The Sun on Sunday but this could arguably be perceived as a rebranding of The News of the World, and thus have a negative stigma still attached. I was watching the TV the other day and was intrigued by the new Guardian advert. Incredibly peculiar but also very clever, this is an advert that shows off the various facets of a modern day  Guardian newspaper. An invitation for the public to interact with the news.



This advert highlights the mutli-scalar brand of the Guardian but it does this through the use of a well known children's story. The advert depicts the "Three Little Pigs' as if their plight is a news story. Not only is this quite funny and clever but it is very different. Created by BBH London, this invites the audience into a familiar childhood story but told in a modern setting. Nonetheless, it doesn't simply raise a smile, it educates its audience and urges them to get involved. Open journalism.

Newspaper Headline

There is no doubt that technology has completely revolutionised the way we see the news. Social media and smartphones have created the notion of citizenship journalism, allowing normal members of the public to get involved. The Guardian advert takes the audience on a journey of a news story. Starting with  the police raiding the pig's house whilst shouting, "Little pig, little pig let us in", this creates an incredibly surreal scene and thus immediately grabs the viewers attention. The advert then cuts to a woman in her home watching the news story unfold on her laptop. Subsequently, this illuminates the ability to access news online through The Guardian website. Newspapers aren't just something that are delivered every morning.

The woman then interacts with the news story using the comments page found at the bottom of most articles but also other people's voices are then heard. This shows that any member of the public can have their say on the matter, also advocating the use of twitter, using the tag #opennews.  French and American voices are heard commenting on this news story, suggesting that this open journalism is a international matter as well. This cacophony of voices illustrates how the Guardian interacts with so many people, it's a two way relationship between the newspaper and the public. Text graphics continue to show the public's opinions and there is even reference to a poll. 

The Three Little Pigs

This emphasis on sites such as Youtube and Twitter show how important social media has become in the world of news and the Guardian are recognising this. The advert then twists the traditional three little pigs story suggesting they framed the wolf. Video simulations of the Guardian website suggest the big bad wold had asthma and thus couldn't blow the houses down. Not only is there an education on how viewers can interact with the news but the advert creates a plot that is different and thus intrigues viewers. It then arguably relates this back to the modern day credit crunch stating that the pigs framed the wolf to get insurance money as they were in debt.

Pig arrested

I have read that some believe that this parody is patronising and not serious. I would challenge this, it is different and they've used a familiar tale to relate to the everyday person, including those who are not Guardian readers. So often adverts are too serious, they don't engage with the audience. Humour can so often be a great way to make an advert memorable. Simply look at McCann Manchester's Aldi tea advert, winning various advertising awards.

 Clever, different and funny, the Guardian advert shows the important relationship between the news and social media nowadays and how easy it is for the public to interact. The website, an iPad, Twitter, Youtube and the newspaper itself, all displayed, to show how The Guardian provides, in their words, the "whole picture'.

Social Media- educator on current affairs?

Many people would assume that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are primarily for social interactions with other people. Spending hours looking at your friends' latest photos and scrolling through a feed of mundane statuses. Nonetheless, social media now provides the perfect platform for news organisations to present their articles to a new audience.

Retro Facebook

Facebook has seen a boom in news applications with online newspaper sites such as 'The Guardian' and the 'Washington Post' realising they can reach Facebook users. Personal Facebook feeds are filled with articles your friends have been reading. They install the application, read the articles and these then appear on you profile and other people's feeds. People then see these interesting articles and click on the link themselves. This means that so many people get to a greater grasp of current affairs. Facebook is arguably the 'go-to' site for procrastination and people spend so much time on social media, news has integrated itself brilliantly with various platforms. The articles range in topic and seriousness,  for instance, looking at my Facebook feed, one friend is reading 'Ten illegal baby names' and another "How one man escaped from a North Korean Prison'. Perhaps this can be seen a positive procrastination, so much time can be wasted trawling Facebook but now news applications educate users on current affairs. 

There is no doubt Twitter provides a similar platform, one can follow news organisations, journalists, celebrities and friends. These Twitter users tweet articles or simply statuses updating one on issues including politics, sports and showbiz. Additionally, smartphones mean one is never disconnected from this news stream.

Retro Twitter

Pinterest could also signal the next social media platform to educate on current affairs. Pinners can pin images or videos that represent or link to news events. BBC news now has a Pinterest account, although they are yet to pin, the visual eye catching twitter can draw in users to interesting articles and thus educate them on current affairs.

People may see social media as a waste of time, a distraction, but it has the ability to educate its users on current affairs. Whether this is through Facebook applications, a pin on Pinterest or a tweet, social media provides a new way to see the news.

Pinterest- A passing fad or here to stay?

It started with MySpace and Bebo. Facebook then arrived. Twitter flew in, followed by various other social media sites. Nonetheless, Pinterest seems to be the new form of social media that is grabbing people's interests, literally.

Pinterest

So what is Pinterest? Put simply, it is a online series of pin boards. You can virtually pin your favourite photos or videos to categorised pin boards. For instance, say you like a film that you've just seen, you can search for a photo or video of it online and using the special pin it button,  put it on your board. You can also add a caption to it to help describe to other pinners what it is. Arguably, it is like a picture/video version of Twitter, people can repin, like and comment on your pins. It is really easy to do and simple to navigate. Here is a picture of my Pinterest below:

You can then follow other people's boards, looking at their pictures. You might see a recipe you like, a film you want to see or a book you've never heard of but now want to read. The visual aspect is very good and incredibly addictive. Nonetheless, I've had Pinterest for a while now and at first it was like playing with a new toy, pinning everything in sight. Now I don't pin as much but still use it, to use a cliché, a picture tells a thousand words, and thus it is very eye catching, spending ages scrolling looking at all the different pins.

A repin on my Pinterest

A new side to Pinterest allows you to "Pin A Quote", highlighting any text on the internet you like the look of and it turns it into an image for your pin board. This is a great function as it allows you to see some of the best quotes from everyone using Pinterest. Like Twitter has trends, Pinterest has popular pins and of course there is a smartphone app. Is it another way for businesses to interact with consumers? Perhaps it could be. New products could be pinned. Companies could pin their new advertising campaigns. For instance, Universal have been pinning scenes from their hit movies, reminding people like me to watch films or buy products. 

Pinterest Logo

Arguably, it is Twitter for pictures but it is easy to use and you do see so many pictures that make you laugh, offer helpful advice, leave you in awe and inspire you to watch a film or pick up a book. Surely, these are not bad things, its a tool to show people what makes you happy? For businesses to visually show their products and campaigns. Whether it is will stay only time will tell but for now I'm having great fun pinning and viewing all the photos, videos and quotes from around world.

The Hunger Games- Social Media and Advertising

Last summer I was in the United States and met two American teenagers. They loved Harry Potter. They loved another series more. When they first told me about this trilogy of books, I'd never heard of them before. They told me I had to read them. The next day I went to a bookshop and purchased a copy of "The Hunger Games. Within the next week I had read all three. Gripped by Suzanne Collins' dystopian North America, where twenty four teenagers are "randomly" selected across twelve different districts. They are then put in an huge outdoor arena and have to kill each other till the last one is standing. It may sound rather grim but it is unbelievably gripping and has become hugely popular.

someecards.com

When I returned from the USA in the summer I was desperate to talk to friends about the book. No one had read it. No one had heard of it. Why? Subsequently,  I lent the books out to many people and now the film is released this month it seems everyone knows about it. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, sites full of Hunger Games information, ranging from games and posters to interviews and apps.  Social Media is proving to be a key tool in promoting, interacting with and exciting consumers.

impawards.com

Logging on to twitter nowadays it is hard for me to get away from entertainment sites tweeting about upcoming releases or interviews with celebrities. For instance, Digital Spy is repeatedly tweeting new stories about the Hunger Games, whether that be the latest posters, cast interviews or a new sneak peek video. Entertainment websites have the ability to easily communicate reaching so many people, so quickly. The rise in smart phone usage means people can check their Facebook or twitter feed whenever they want. Films like the Hunger Games have arguably latched on to this. They have created Facebook groups that have interactive games with just over 254,000 Facebook users on the official page. Their twitter account has as 233, 723 followers, . There are social media apps about the Hunger Games. There are thousands of pins on Pinterest about it. Social Media creates a buzz. A chain reaction, a retweet, a tag, a like, a pin. Ways of spreading the word about a product. There is no doubt that social media is one of the most important ways an organisation interacts with its clients. The image below is a moving poster created for the Hunger Games, the internet and social media allows this quirky idea to be distributed easily, compared to more traditional methods, such as normal advertising posters.

sugarscape.com

The Hunger Games is just one example of a product that has used social media to interact with people. It can reach those who have never previously heard about it. Social media can aid hype of a product, more people want to buy it because everyone is talking about it. The future of Advertising and PR significantly involves Social Media as sites like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest continue to grow in popularity. Ignoring social media is not an option for a business that wants to succeed?

Social Media's Power- Kony 2012

If you have been on any form of social media today it is likely that you would have heard the word, "KONY". A film created by invisible children that aids to make Joseph Kony, a Uganadan guerrilla group leader, has spread across various social media platforms, dominating Facebook news feeds and Twitter updates. Social media shows its power to educate, inform and hopefully liberate.

"Joseph Kony has remained an elusive and terrifying figure casting a spell over first Uganda, then Sudan and the Central African Republic, and now the Democratic Republic of Congo" 

The Deadly Cult of Joseph Kony

The 30 minute film attempts to make Joseph Kony famous, not as a celebrity but to create awareness for the horrors he has committed and hopefully lead to his arrest. It's been suggested that as many as 20,000 children have been abducted from their homes and have been forced to commit horrendous crimes. Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army he has claimed he will use the ten commandments to liberate Uganda, as one girl who had been captured by the LRA suggests his followers see him as a "supernatural being. He has a power over them." Kony is seen to be one of the most hated and wanted men on earth, the power of social media has arguably increased this status. Before today I would ask how many people knew about Kony's atrocities? Social Media has educated us on such an important subject. People need to know  what this man and his army are doing, social media is providing the ideal platform to inform the public. 

Joseph Kony

Some may criticise social media, saying it is a waste of time but Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and a whole host of other platforms have demonstrated the positive change communication can make. With figures like Kony, awareness is key, social media reaches out to millions in seconds, you're just one click away from learning about the dreadful acts of Kony and his followers. Lets hope that the power of social media can raise awareness acting as a catalyst for Kony's arrest but also be used a tool for other similar situations across the world.

Please share this video with as many people as possible. Social Media makes it easy.

Citizenship Journalism- Everyone can be a journalist

In the 21st century everyone can be a journalist. iPhones. iPads. Twitter. Facebook. The everyday person as the ability to communicate easily. A photo, a tweet, a status update, the public using these as if adopting the role of a news reporter. This notion has been coined Citizenship journalism, where spontaneous actions of members of the public, in the middle of news worthy events, feel compelled to become the news reporter. The growth of smartphones and tablets mean it is so easy to communicate anything, pretty much anywhere. Is this what the future holds for journalism? The public scooping some of the best stories because they were in the right place at the right time and could tweet a photo of the event?

Twitter

The emergence of the internet has speeded up the ability to be a citizen journalist and social media makes it easier to communicate to lots of people. Take for instance, the Iran elections in 2009, in which traditional news corporations were blocked by the authorities. Subsequently, it was down to to the public to be the journalists, display the pictures the world would see, through Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms. Obviously, this can show how the public can be the news reporters but it can also put them in dangerous position. The Arab Spring has also been an example of where the public can take pictures and tweet to show the real event. For example,  Al-Jazeera’s citizen media service received 1,000 camera-phone videos. The head of the the Al-Jazeera service said that “Now our main stories are driven by images captured by citizens on the street, it’s no longer just a supporting image. In most cases citizens capture the breaking news moments first". It is incredible how smartphones have revolutionised news reporting, citizens can inform and educate the media and the public. A report in the Guardian also suggested they are looking for, "open vision for journalism", whereby laypeople, who may not have any formal expertise, will be allowed key to the media group’s future"(Guardian pins digital future on citizen journalism). The fact that a historic newspaper, like The Guardian, can see the opportunities in promoting citizenship journalism through using smartphones and tablets, demonstrates that this is a concept not to be ignored. I've compiled several news stories that have been deeply influenced by "laypeople" clicking buttons on their smartphones and becoming "news reporters".

‘… when major events occur, the public can offer us as much new information as we are able to broadcast to them. From now on, news coverage is a partnership.’

Citizenship Journalism and the BBC 

Japanese Earthquake

The Japanese people filmed and took pictures of the horrific earthquake and following Tsunami. This allowed the world to see the dramatic scenes and carnage from a perspective of those right in the middle of the tragedy.

London Riots


The London Riots of Summer 2011 shocked the globe, with visions of burning buildings etched in the audience's mind. Members of the public film the rioters breaking into shops, looting goods but also the heavy police presence. These videos not only inform the world through social media on the event but also can aid police investigations.

Lady ranting of tram


Perhaps one of the most shocking examples of Citizenship Journalism, in which someone on a tram secretly films a woman who is being racist. The tram had a diverse set of people on it and she directs the torrent of abuse towards them, making generalisations and showing how the spontaneous citizenship journalism can do good, to root this dreadful sort of thing out of society. This video meant police could find her, arrest her and she was subsequently charged.

 The Telegraph- Woman Charged with Racist Rant on Tram

The Hudson Landing

In early 2009 US Airways flight 1549 was flying from La Guardia Airport to Charlotte, in North Carolina when it hit a flock of Canadian Geese. Subsequenlty, it crash landed in the Hudson River next to Manhattan, meaning lots of members of the public saw it and thus a lot of the first pictures were from these "laypeople. For instance, the picture below was a tweeted picture by a man who was catching the ferry at the time the plane crashed. 

Janis Crums- tweeter of this photo

London Bombings

Members of the pubic turned news reporters on the 7th July 2005 when the city of London was rocked by suicide bombers on its transport network. The first ever citizen journalism award was given to a photo that was taken during this event. The mere fact that there are now awards for this type of journalism echoes the need to respect it as an important form of news. The winning picture shows the moments after the number 30 bus was bombed in Tavistock Square. A powerful reminder of how citizenship journalist can capture the most raw moments.

Citizen Journalists get rewarded

This addiction to smartphones, the obsession of tweeting, uploading photos and updating statuses means we are living in society where so much can be captured without professional journalists having to be there. Social media's accessibility allows normal people to capture events that could otherwise be unseen, they inform, educate and illuminate. As the use of smart phones and social media grows, one would  assume the growth of citizenship journalism will as well.