In our world, there is constant press coverage. However, when you look at the mainstream media, you will find that it only covers the information that’s most important to corporations, the economy, and the ongoing pandemic. However, there is much more to report on, and this is where citizen journalists come into play. Citizen journalism is, according to the Encyclopaedia Brittanica, “journalism that is conducted by people who are not professional journalists but who disseminate information using Websites, blogs, and social media.” These people show us alternative news, news that’s just as important for our wellbeing as other items, but what isn’t displayed by big media. Here are some well-known citizen journalists and their successes.

Antonio French

In 2014, an unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by the police in Ferguson, which lead to the Ferguson unrest and many divided people. Citizen journalist Antonio French captured and tweeted various phone recordings showing the brutality of the Michigan police with one goal: to spread awareness. While he was arrested multiple times, he kept going because he wanted the public to know the truth about the situation in Ferguson.

Today, French keeps on posting tweets showing inequality around the U.S. and the rest of the world, from racism to religious exemptions.

Vani Hari

When she was hospitalized due to appendicitis, Vani Hari decided to pay more attention to health and nutrition issues. There, she found that companies like Kraft, Subway and Chick-Fil-A sold products containing harmful ingredients often found in non-edible products as well. Using her blog, Food Babe, which she set up in 2011, Hari spread awareness about these companies, urging them to change their ways. Since then, she has written about and contacted multiple companies about their products. Most corporations have used her critique as a guideline to better their products.

In 2015, Hari released her first book “The Food Babe Ways”, which reached number four on the New York Times Bestseller list. On her website, she continues to publish blogs and informative articles about the food industry. 

Ed Winters

Sticking to the topic of food, vegan activist Ed Winters, also known as Earthling Ed, uses his social media presence to inform people about the animal industry. He went vegetarian in 2014, after realizing that the chickens that died in a crash near Manchester had feelings. Later on, he went vegan after watching the documentary ‘Earthlings’.

Winters started his YouTube channel in 2016, in which he educates people about the impact and effects of the animal industry. He also gives lectures at various universities across Europe to spread awareness about veganism.

Winters is on the receiving end of a lot of controversies as there are thousands, if not millions, of people against veganism. Especially since his video from March 2020 shows that the COVID-19 pandemic only happened because we keep on consuming animals. British Newspaper ‘The Guardian’, however, has confirmed his claims to be true.

Of course, there are many more citizen journalists waiting for their stories to be heard. Try to support them where you can, as citizen journalism can be quite dangerous for some.