The five main types of participatory journalism are sources, user feedback, user-generated content, crowdsourcing, and citizen journalism. Each type involves different levels of audience participation.

Sources: These are the people who provide information, such as firsthand accounts, documents, or expert opinions, that help shape a story. The audience’s involvement is typically limited.

User Feedback: This type involves outside people commenting on news stories or providing their reactions. While feedback allows for some engagement, it does not usually impact the actual content of the story, but instead it validates the facts of the story.

User-Generated Content: This occurs when news outlets invite the public to contribute their own content, such as photos, videos, or articles, often in response to a call for contributions. It’s a more hands-on form of participation, as the audience directly supplies material for news coverage.

Crowdsourcing: Crowdsourcing involves gathering contributions from a group of people to help collect data, conduct research, or report on events. The audience’s involvement is significant, as they actively collaborate with journalists to produce content or verify information.

Citizen Journalism: Citizen journalism happens when non-professional journalists create and share news. Here, the audience has the highest level of participation, as they take on the full role of content creators, often bypassing traditional media outlets.

Crowdsourcing Example: The Guardian’s “Eyewitness” section encourages readers to share their photos and stories from breaking news events. The audience plays a pivotal role by contributing real-time information and images, which enhances the journalistic process. This helps the journalist because citizens who are experiencing it are able to have a more timely response to the news.

Citizen Journalism Example: Ordinary citizens use social media and smartphones to share protests and live updates in other parts of the world. This is a clear example of citizen journalism, where the audience creates news content.