J-lab says citizen journalism is here to stay

A study conducted by J-lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism attempts to answer a few questions floating around the news industry. Is citizen journalism journalism? Will there be participation? Economically feasible?

The study, written by J-Lab Director Jan Schaffer and funded by a grant from the Ford Foundation is titled Citizen Media: Fad or the Future of News? The rise and prospects of hyperlocal journalism.

From the press release:

“While not all individual sites will continue to operate, we project that the phenomenon of citizen media will be sustainable, with new sites coming online in serial fashion to replace those that collapse as their founders burn out,” Schaffer said.

Read the entire report and add to the ongoing conversation.