Citizen Journalism in Surabaya’s Local Media

It is ordinary people who simply share what they see and feel about events
associated with the public through the media. In Indonesia, the growing
phenomenon of citizen journalism is more open to freedom of expression and
information and communication technology support. On the other hand, the
current mass media also provides a space in which people can participate to
share information or their opinions. Surabaya, as the second largest city in
Indonesia, is one of the centers of industry, commerce, and education in this
country. Therefore the role of the local media as a source of information and
communication is very important. Some local media has occupied a very
important position in the decision-making process and in shaping public opinion.
In this study, researchers focused on local online media in Surabaya:
www.beritajatim.com and local radio: Radio Suara Surabaya. These two media
outlets provide public space to accommodate the information and opinions from
the public. This study aimed to observe the practice of citizen journalism in these
two media oulets. Research results indicate the practice of citizen journalism in
www.beritajatim.com is used as promotion and public relations. In Radio Suara
Surabaya, the practice of citizen journalism inclines more toward the democratic
process, especially in influencing public policies.