Opinions run our world. And your opinion may help run it a little differently. We explore why we need citizen journalism in the modern age. What is Citizen Journalism? Citizen journalism refers to reporting news and information by individuals who are not professional journalists. These are everyday people who live across the UK and come from many different walks of life. With the rise of social media and digital platforms, citizen journalism has become an increasingly influential force in the modern media landscape with information being spread across borders instantly and opinions being shared between people who have never met before. More and more, people are turning to social media platforms to get their news and along with this, more and more people are using these platforms to tell people about news and events, talk about important topics and share what they think. Why Is Citizen Journalism Important? Citizen journalism allows for a 'democratisation' of the news and media, with everyday people being able to share news stories from across different regions, countries or even across the globe taking power away from traditional media outlets. This is important for multiple reasons as it not only allows for an increase in the diversity of topics covered with many traditional news outlets neglecting to cover certain news stories due to political, economic or social reasons, but also can make news more accessible for people. The ability to find information about different events through a click on your home screen is understated in its power and represents a drastic change from traditional news sources. People across the world have the ability to share their unique experiences and viewpoints on a variety of different things which can allow us to gain a larger perspective of different world events. A notable recent example of this is the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 with citizen journalism being essential for spreading news and information especially as many news outlets failed to share accurate coverage of these events. From protests to sit-ins to petitions and more, real differences have happened because of the power of people using the tools they have to share information that might not have been brought to light. Across the world protests sparked change with many being organised through informal social media group chats and forums. (Image credit: Thomas Allsop via Unsplash) In 2020, a new organisation was founded focusing on the power of citizen journalism. The Bylines Network is made up of 10 regional online news outlets which all specialise in citizen journalism. The organisation encourages local people to write about what's happening in their region and whilst they do have a set of standards and requirements for their writers, they welcome a diverse set of writing styles, topics and author backgrounds. "Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in our area and beyond. In doing so, we seek to demonstrate democracy in action by giving a voice to local people and holding our elected representatives to account. This is made possible by our independence – both from government control and from the influence of corporate interests." - Bylines Network via bylinesnetwork.co.uk Why Caution Is Still Needed While citizen journalism is a good thing overall, it can cause some issues especially when looking at the truthfulness and accuracy of some online sources. The ability to simply send a message to the world on social media or record a video can make it easy to spread misinformation. Many people who act as 'citizen journalists' and spread misinformation do it unknowingly or as a result of poor research however, a few bad actors can use the accessibility of social media to spread misinformation and potentially cause serious harm. Anti-vaxxers can be an example of this with many leaders in social groups and organisations utilising social media to spread unfounded and in many cases completely untrue stories about vaccinations as well as encouraging conspiracy theories. People can also use real, scientific studies and use it as evidence to support their narrative by twisting or cherry-picking details. Many conspiracy theories and misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent vaccinations created hesitancy for some which may have causes major damage to the health of individuals and wider communities. (Image credit: Roger Starnes Sr via Unsplash) Because of these reasons, it is still essential that mainstream media outlets keep covering news stories as they are less likely to misrepresent stories to a large extent due to many codes of conduct, ethical guidelines and press standards organisations. Large news organisations such as the BBC, The Guardian, Al Jazeera and Associated Press can present news in a potentially less biased or problematic way meaning that misinformation is not spread. A recent issue is people who use these social media relying solely on them for news meaning that fake news can quickly spiral and be shared potentially meaning people are forming opinions based on incorrect news. The Sparrow and Citizen Journalism. The Sparrow was built on the idea of citizen journalism. Like the Bylines Network, we want to provide people the opportunity to share their ideas on a platform where people will listen. We want to give young people the ability to say what's on their mind or tell others about issues that are important to them. The Sparrow is committed to allowing more people to provide their unique and diverse opinions. If you are interested in joining us please contact us here  or message us on one of our social platforms. We want to hear your ideas, stories or thoughts. Final Notes Citizen journalism is an essential part of our modern society with it allowing more people to read and share news faster than ever and without the input of traditional news outlets potentially meaning things are reported differently. However, it is important that there is balance both from a regulatory side and a consumer habits side. Governments need to figure out ways to ensure that information that is factually correct and not misleading is able to be shared on social media unimpeded whilst also slowing the spread of misinformation. It is also partially on the reader to make sure that they don't read their news from one place and that they look at a whole range of perspectives from different providers. Overall, citizen journalism is important, after all, it's what this website is about.

Grace Marsh stars in a self-written and directed play based on her own personal experiences, taking us on a journey many don't have. The promotional poster of Blindsided (Credit: @blindsidedbygracemarsh on Instagram) The play encompasses 40 minutes of quick-witted teenage humour as well wonderfully raw moments showcasing the struggles Jasmine is going through all wrapped up in clever lighting and set design considering the fact this show has a limited budget being a student production. All elements come together to create a well-paced, informative and overall heartwarming performance which left me speechless as I left the theatre. Synopsis of Blindsided At the start of the play, we meet a 15-year-old high school student Jasmine (played by Marsh) just after the school holidays and beginning her GCSEs, however, over the summer she has lost her sight leading to challenges as she adjusts her way of life which worries her Mum Suzy (played by Grace Hale). At school, we overhear the characters aptly called B*tch 1 and B*tch 2 (played by Hope Sandhu and Ry Wood respectively) question Jasmine's experience of sight loss suggesting she is faking it for attention which irritates Jasmine who overhears the exchange. She confides in her friend Molly about this encounter, and with Molly "saying the wrong thing" the besties fall out leaving Jasmine on her own. Throughout these scenes, we cut to Jasmine with her teacher, Jan (played by Bree Colclough) which provides a pleasant respite of comedic flair whilst also continuing the story. As Jasmine's 16th birthday party fast approaches, she worries about the lack of RSVPs although she hides her worry from her also worried Mum. On the day of her birthday party, no one shows leaving Jasmine alone dressed in her birthday sash and sparkly outfit. Luckily, Molly arrives (after being invited by Jasmine's mum) and the two make up, both acknowledging their mistakes and understanding that things are more difficult and unknown than ever before in their friendship. Suzy and her daughter also apologise to each other with Jasmine promising to try the counselling recommended by Jan. The play ends with a heartwarming display of human connection as Jasmine is held by her mum on the left and her best friend on her right. Review The story itself is easy to follow which is perfect for its 40-minute run time. While I do wish we saw a longer, more intensive showcase of Jasmine's life and personal struggles, I feel that the story was perfect to present what it needed to and did not suffer from the drawn-out melancholy that some other shows feature. The dialogue of all characters is well written and acted with the choices in language and articulation both being what I'd expect for each character. Alongside this, I felt that all actors were not only comfortable with the material but also embraced it and performed it as if it was their story to tell. Blindsided's use of lighting, or on some occasions lack thereof, was a creatively excellent choice. The harsh lighting when Jasmine can't sleep is perfectly contrasted at the end with the soft warm projected on the central trio. Blackouts are also used several times to represent 'blindness' with only Jasmine's voice being heard placing us as the audience in the shoes of the protagonist and allowing us to experience just a little of what she might experience day-to-day. The set, whilst minimalist, provides utility and allows for a wide range of environments to be created without long-winded set changes. It is clear that a great number of creatives helped make this show possible when looking at its quality in all aspects. Details were clearly thought about and included to make this show special and more impactful. Blindsided has changed the way I think about how people experience sight loss and has exposed the reality that many partially or fully blind people have experienced or are experiencing. Jasmine performs multiple monologues throughout the play showcasing her internal thoughts and how she perceives the situations happening to her. These felt almost heart-wrenchingly real, with Marsh bringing us into the head of Jasmine in a way which felt personal and raw. This play is a clear work of Grace Marsh with her personal experiences curating and shaping the script, direction and set in a way which could not have been done by a fully sighted person. Blindsided is unapologetic of its source material with Marsh herself saying the story is based on her own experiences with sight loss making it such a deep-cutting, realistic and authentic show. Final Words Blindsided by Grace Marsh is an excellent display of student theatre with both an emotionally intelligent storyline, wonderfully creative production and direction details and a perfect cast and crew to bring the whole thing together. I sincerely hope that we see a second production of Blindsided as I feel that this is both an important topic which isn't talked about much in both theatre and also wider society as well as feeling it would be a waste of a wonderful script to not see it re-emerge. I think that this would be a perfect play for limited runs at smaller venues around Yorkshire or as a tour around local high schools in order to teach young people about the experiences of sight loss. Editor's note: Blindsided was dedicated in memory of Beth, a personal and beloved friend of Grace Marsh. On the program handed out at the venue a link to EDS UK was included if you would like to make a donation in Beth's name. Click here if you are interested in making a donation or want to learn more about EDS UK.

Recent reports show some UK universities  are experiencing financial difficulties and have had to scale back spending. We've compiled a list of some of the most affected universities and how they've got there. But first, what do the reports say about UK universities right now. Last year the Office for Students reported that roughlty a third of the 150 UK universities and higher education institutions only had enough money to last the next 100 days meaning they had to rapidly decrease spending. They also noted that up to 72% of unis could be in financial difficulty by the end of this year telling us that this is not a local issue. Universities are funded by a wide range of sources. The majority of a unis finances, 52%, come from tuition fees with half of that amount being made up by international students. The rest is made up of a mixture of research grants and direct government funding. Unis in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have slightly different methods of funding such as tuition in Scotland being paid for by the Scotish goverment rather than the student directly. Many universities are claiming that their precarious financial position is caused by tuition fees not keeping up with inflation and the rising cost of salaries, building maintenance and other operational costs. There is also a decrease in the number of new university applicants post pandemic with some young people looking at alternatives to university such as apprenticeships, going directly into work or taking a gap year. This all has reduced income for some universities. This is expected to have an effect on the quality of higher education with some universities having to cut spending leading to less contact hours, lower quality facilities or courses being eliminated. There is also pottential for some universities to merge together in order to gain a better financial position. It also has the effect of placing more pressure for UK universities to attract international students as they can be charged a higher tuition fee. Many universities now have dedicated staff and services designed to attract elusive international students in order to maintain financial stability. Some people argue that this is 'unfair' for UK students as it may appear the university places international students in higher regard than domestic applicants. Which UK unis are in financial trouble? Cardiff University Cardiff University, the largest university in Wales and a member of the prestigious Russell Group, announced they had a £31.2 million deficit between 23-24 and could run out of money within 4 years if nothing changes. Because of this they announced 400 staff would be made redundant which represents 10% of their workforce. Along with this they've also cut some subjects such as music, nursing and modern langauges in a bid to reduce spending. Unions representing some of the staff at the uni have said that the reduction in staff numbers will increase the staff to student ratio and lead to more stress for staff and make it more difficult for students to learn. Some have also said that the cutting of the nursing course could worsen the shortage of nurses in Wales. University of Huddersfield The West Yorkshire university is still relatively young only being founded 1992, however this hasn't prevented them from having financial challenges. In May last year they announced they will cut 200 jobs and get rid of up to 12 courses including geography, sociology and maths. The annoncement was met with outrage from students who protested the decision sighting a reduction in educational quality. Some students suggested reducing the salaries for the highest paid staff at the uni, such as the vice-chancellor, on online blog sites . Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Hallam University said that external pressures including reductions in the amount of international students let into the UK by the government has led to them needing to reduce staffing costs by around 20%. Last year they announced that up to 400 jobs could be made redundant as part of these cost cutting measures. University of York Another member of the Russell Group, the University of York faced a £24 million deficit in their budget last year leading them to take measures to avoid bankruptcy. By December last year, the university already got rid of 272 staff through a voluntary redundancy scheme announced earlier in 2024. The uni wants to save £34 million in order to return to a financial surplus through another round of voluntary staff redundancys, increasing domestic undergraduate rates and seeking further commercial and research opportunities. It is important to note that at time of writing the uni does not intent to reduce or cut any of their courses or subjects when looking to save money. Unions have stated that the reduction in staffing numbers could leave a negative impact on teaching quality and overall staff and student wellbeing. Kings College London It should be clear by now that even the most prestigious institutions are not immune to budget diffiuclties. In December of last year Kings College London announced a £19.3 million deficit in their budget which was a decrease from the year before. University of Aberdeen This Scottish university found itself in financial difficulties at the start of last year leading them to take decisive measures. The uni has been forced to make up to £14 million in savings through reducing the number of staff and decreasing expenditures for new facilities. How things could be fixed? There is currently no clear, one size fits all solution to ensure the long term viability for higher eductation institutions in the UK. Some universities suggest increasing domestic tuition fees further in order to make up for rises in inflation and the increased cost of living, however this may have the undesired effect of reducing applications leading to less students attending university. Another solution could be to remove some of the visa restrictions imposed by the former Conservative government and increase the number of international students studying in the UK as a way to increase tuition revenue and in a way, 'subsidise' domestic student's education. One of the more common solutions suggested by students, staff and unions is for the government to increase their contribution to higher education institutions through more direct funding siting the positive economic impact UK universities have with research into new fields, regional employment and the often higher tax revenues university-educated people provide. Information correct as of writing (29th March 2025)