With the advent of modern technology, everyone can be a news source, said a US-based journalist during his talk on “Networked Journalism” at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium in UST last August 8.

Andrew Haeg, Public Insight Editor at the American Public Media in Minnesota said in a lecture for communication students that every single person can be a source of information on any given topic.

“Everyone can be a source, everyone has expertise in a given topic,” Haeg said during the talk, which was attended by students and faculty members from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB).

The lecture, entitled “Tapping Source Networks to Build Trust and Reveal Hidden Truths” was about the advent of citizen journalism and the internet through the media platform known as the Public Insight Network (PIN).

According to Haeg, the PIN is a platform of news engagement where people, journalists and ordinary citizens alike, can exchange information much like a shared pool of knowledge in a private and secure channel.

“The Public Insight Network gives journalists the power to quickly gather first-hand knowledge and expertise through targeted engagement with more than 100,000 sources,” Haeg said.

He added that media people will be amazed by “what the people will tell you if you care to ask.”

The lecture was organized by the joint efforts of the Communication Arts Students’ Association and the Journalism Society along with the Department of Media Studies of AB to expose students into the emerging form of citizen journalism and network media.

“There’s someone out there who knows more than we do, and this mindset can help journalists illuminate the issue more. This is not just journalism, but engagement.” Haeg said.

Haeg said that this perception by the people brought PIN to launch Query, an online survey that will let people’s voices be heard.

The survey will be sent to various people via a link for them to contribute reports on a given topic. The form will then be sent back to the PIN database where professional journalists will then validate the information by phoning the source, and if they find them credible, the Query may become useful in future coverages.

However, he said that unreliable sources will be warned.

PIN is a new approach in journalism pioneered by Minnesota Public Radio which solicits knowledge and direct experience from people.

Although the platform is, as of the moment, only available to the US, he said that it aims for people, in this case students, who just want to share information and contribute to the discussion.

“Most people don’t want to be a journalist necessarily, they just want to help in disseminating information and contribute to discussion,” Haeg said.

Meanwhile, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be a useful tool in sourcing for news but it is undependable because of the tedious process of ensuring the credibility of sources from these websites since users can make multiple anonymous accounts.

Haeg, a multi-awarded journalist from Minnesota, is in the country for a series of lectures regarding Social Media and Citizen Journalism.

Aside from UST, he also has scheduled talks in Manila Hotel and in provinces such as Cebu and Davao.

By Maiqui Rome Francis Sta. Ana and Adrian Stewart Co