“Giornalismo partecipativo o narcisismo digitale?” or in English “Citizen Journalism or Digital Narcissism?” is the name of the book. And the author is Sara Stefanini, young blogger and journalism student from Rome, Italy who besides writing a book has also a news website created on January 2012 and translated in different languages - Kaleidoscopia.
Next few lines represent short introduction of Sara Stefanini in her own words:
“Class ’88, graduated at Tor Vergata University in Communication, from an early age passionate to the world of communication and writing. She is currently attending the School of Journalism at the University of Lumsa, in Rome, to become a journalist. She wrote the book “Citizen journalism or digital narcissism?” and has created and manage Kaleidoscopia.it, the first vocal website of news. Reporter of AgoraVox and has her own section on Fan Page. She worked for several newspapers and various tv and radio. She’s the winner of the competition “two speakers compared” to Tele Radio Stereo 2 in 2011.”
About her book, inspiration and citizen journalism Sara spoke in an interview with us.
Q: What inspired you to write a book about citizen journalism ?
A: In my life, I always like to go through unpaved and undiscovered roads. And so in journalism. I was interested in studying a phenomenon so widespread, but not so reported, especially in Italy. Mostly, it was a challenge to myself in this arduous adventure to write a book. Very exciting was the study of digital narcissism. There are no books about this in Italy.
Q: Tell us some interesting details about your book.
A: Dan Gillmor says: “We can do journalism together. We already are”. On the one hand, citizen journalism gives voice to that people believed passive and surrounded by large spiral of silence. On the other hand, there is no rose without a thorn and this is digital narcissism or egosurfing. It is present in the Oxford English Dictionary since 1998. Nowadays, information is going to be built together, in the little big global village, joined by the Network and become glocal eliminating distances and halving the time.
Q: Have you had help in writing a book ?
A: No, in ideas and writing the book I did not get aid. I based it on many books especially American ones. In Italy, there are very few books about it. For the correction and re-reading the book helped me a professor, manager of Eni, and a friend thank him again. Now, I’m thinking about its English publication.
Q: What do you think about citizen journalism and social media ?
A: Citizen journalism is a great tool for sharing news and more. It is a way to know what citizens think. They use social media to express their dissatisfaction, or controversy.
Q: Are you involved or do you plan to join some citizen journalism project ?
A: There are many ideas but I don’t have time, team and money, right now. I hope, however, to be increasingly engaged in this field and experience new things.
Q: Is citizen journalism widespread in Italy ?
A: Citizen journalism is spreading over this two years. In recent years, out of curiosity, I asked to the journalists what they thought about citizen journalism. Someone had a face quite surprised, others did not regard the phenomenon or at least saw it as a domestic and rustic way of doing journalism. Now, fortunately, it’s much better known and considered.
Q: Do mainstream media have collaboration with citizen journalism in Italy ?
A: No, there isn’t a direct cooperation but it may happen amateur video from youtube should be used for Tv news, for example. I hope in a coexistence and participation between citizen journalism and the mainstream one.
Q: In your opinion how will citizen journalism look like in the future ?
A: It will spread more and more and it will be no longer shunned by mainstream journalism. Final aim is to work in a complementary way to inform people. The tools of traditional and new technologies will help users to read more transparent and depth news.
Q: For people who want to buy your book, where and how can they find it ?
A: They can find it on all websites who sell books online. The book is everywhere in the network, just look for it.
We want to thank Sara for the interview and wish her great success with the book .