What is grassroots journalism? We explain the term

The media and the way we deal with information have changed a lot because of the Internet. Terms like grassroots journalism are therefore all the more important to know. Our guide explains.

Free information? Grassroots journalism thrives on the voluntary cooperation of citizens.

Yet the term dates back to a time long before the Internet, for example in the form of free radio stations. Today, the topic is more topical than ever.

Grassroots journalism: independent and neutral - ideally

A synonym for grassroots journalism is participatory journalism:

• Accordingly, the participation of free citizens, i.e. not professional journalists, is the core of grassroots journalism.
• The term itself is to be understood metaphorically: A grass root, after all, forms the foundation or base of a plant. This stands figuratively for the normal population on which society is built.
• A grassroots democratic understanding as well as the propensity to find consensus are firmly anchored, as in the name role model, the grassroots movement.
• The participants can operate their work without pressure and specifications of funders. Grassroots journalism should therefore ideally be objective, independent and neutral.

Not infrequently, grassroots journalism appears as a countermovement to professional journalism. In the age of the Internet, this form of journalism is flourishing more than ever, as there are unlimited opportunities for publication. Of course, this means taking any information with a grain of salt, as there is no guarantee of completeness or accuracy.