STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print) is an online portal set up by the Singapore Press Holdings. Here, the online portal makes use of the three platforms consisting of online, mobile and print, to involve the public in the updates of Singapore (Stomp, 2006). This form of publishing comments and views is some what like citizen journalism.
What is citizen journalism? Also known as “participatory journalism”, are citizens “playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information” (Citizen Journalism, 2007). STOMP allows such citizen involvement. Blogs may already allow citizens to voice out about almost every topic available; however, STOMP allows more citizens to be heard and allows those whom are lazy to own a blog to go to the online portal to share their views and to participate. Reason being, not many may know who blogs and what the bloggers blog about. Having STOMP allows citizens to broaden their circle of connections and readings, to share their similarities with those in common. To a certain extent, the above mentioned makes STOMP an ideal form of citizen journalism of Singapore. Why STOMP is not a complete ideal form of citizen journalism is because it is more restricted in terms of what topics can be published and what can be said even though more citizens are encouraged to take part. There is a restriction in STOMP whereas blogs can be used, as and how you want to use it. STOMP also seems more of chat forum instead of citizen journalism because yes the citizens may participate in contributing to the articles on the online portal; however, the topics mentioned are not what newspapers would publish for the public to view as an article.
We may have magazines and newspapers to write in but do we actually think that every entry would be published? I doubt so. With STOMP, you have can publish your views, comments on topics such as love, food and more. Remember, STOMP has restrictions too but at least more citizens are allowed to give it a try rather than totally ignore the situation. To me, STOMP is some what like a multi-ownership blog. According to Gillmor, he is “not convinced that Big Media is doing the most important thing: listening” (Gillmor, 2004). Just like how STOMP may be there to let you publish comments related to topics that are allowed to be mentioned, yet are the comments really taken into consideration.
This leads to how STOMP could improve. STOMP is great in a way that the citizens’ views have been taken into consideration by allowing citizens to take part in the online forum. At least the thought of the citizens’ well-being is established. If only actions were to be taken to reduce the restrictions and prove to the public that improvements have been made based on the citizens’ posted comments. There is no proof if actions have been taken, but it is good enough to know that the higher authorities are ready, or willing to listen to the citizens’ views. Indeed, a step to greater improvement.
REFERENCES
STOMP (2006) From Singapore Press Holdings Retrieved March 30, 2007 from http://www.stomp.com.sg/
Citizen Journalism. (2007, March 28). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved March 30, 2007, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_journalism
Gillmor, D. (2004). We the People: Grassroots Journalism by the People, for the People. Retrieved March 30, 2007 from http://download.nowis.com/index.cfm?phile=WeTheMedia.html&tipe=text/html#chap3
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