The common person in India looks up at the media to bring this change. After the judiciary, the media is the recourse for many people. However, busy with its own affiliations, the Mainstream media rarelyes do justice to the cause of true reporting.



I have no doubts about the growth of the Indian Blogosphere. I find more and more new Indian blogs, Blogs run by college students, professionals, homemakers, teenagers and others. However, most of us are Vanity Bloggers, as far as the case for the common man is concerned. I wished Indian Bloggers took up more issues. Look at the bloggers worldwide, whether its George Bush or Tony Blair, you will find a cacophony of conversations and debates. People freely take sides - India, Pakistan, liberal, conservative, pro-Muslim, pro TomKat, and what not. Who speaks for the common person? Are we taking up the real issues? Are we raking up corruption, injustice, mis-governance, consumer abuse, disparities, and so on?



The promise of Citizen Journalism is voice - The promise of justice, of being heard. IMHO, beyond all those dreams of raking big bucks from local classifieds, Citizen Journalism promises to speak for a better life for ordinary citizens. The Media is a powerful tool. I know it is almost cliche. Speaking about recent big issue in New Delhi, if NDTV, Indian Express, Hindustan Times and others had not taken up the murder case of Jessica Lal in earnest, the guilt would surely have walked away Scot-free! Indian took up the IIPM case with zeal. They also supported the first private, non-licensed FM radio, Radio Raghav.



We must have more citizen journalists in India. We need more unbiased news; we need more debates and conversations. Using an idea from my earlier post on Local News, I sincerely wish to see Camera phone-wielding ‘Instant Reporters’ zealous enough to confront a wrongdoer in sheer Flashmob style.