Citizen Journalism Blog

I have always been a controversial blogger. So, I naturally attract a few trolls here and there since the last five years. Sometimes, my friends will buzz me about people talking about the standard of my reporting in others’ blogs. Sometimes, these trolls came by and drop the comments directly into my blog’s comment.

Sure, I did make a few mistakes in journalism. I quickly apologised, rectified the matter and take in my editor’s advices and move on. It is all part of the learning process.

Still, there are a few trolls here and there who will rant on and on about my reporting. For any other people, maybe they will feel intimidated when people accused them their grammars are like shits, their reporting biased, they are carrying balls and licking asses. But to me, those are the most interesting because I know I have riled up people.

It is not hard to find out if what they said about us is true. What I did is to do a little investigation to find out the history of the person. It is not hard. Usually these are no life morons who spend their time just trying to be smart. They will leave their footprints all over the blogsphere.

I can easily see a pattern about them. And the funny part is some of these noobs don’t even know about IPs. They tried to be funny by using different nicks. When you look at the pattern, you will notice they are focusing on only certain issues or persons.

These sort of people are not worth our time. Of course, it is fun to play games with them, getting them to spill more.

But, as citizen journalists in Malaysia, I also ponder if there is some truth in these trolls’ feedback. Taken in good faith, I do check if I really did some of those things they claimed. It is good to do a quick conscience check.

(video of my interview with CM Lim Guan Eng on citizen journalism)

Being the pioneer group, we actually do not have mentors to look up to. I cannot rely on the real McCoy journalists because they are from a different school. If we compare our qualifications and experiences, we citizen journalists are nothing. However, we have something that money cannot buy. Passionate towards news reporting.

I also will not want to try to keep up with them because I will then fall into the rat race. Why be a follower? Be a leader.

So, in conclusion, there is no standard or benchmark for us citizen journalists in Malaysia. I shall be the trail blazer, never a follower. Of course, that means I will fall and stumble, bruised and knocked. But at the end of the day, at least I know I had walked the path on my own.