Cell phones drive random acts of journalism

February 10, 2010
By Billy Dennis

Just the other day, I read a quote from a mainstream media apologist saying that owning a cell phone with a built-in camera doesn’t make one a journalist. My first thought was: ‘Actually, it does make them journalists if they use a camera phone as a tool to perform an act of journalism.’

And that’s what happening in Toronto, Canada, where fed up commuters are using their phones to keep tabs on bus drivers and other transit workers who are makign their lives Hell. Naturally, the workers object:

“Stop harassing people who are doing their jobs. Stop insulting them. Stop waving your phone cameras in their faces as you get on the bus or streetcar. Stop spitting on them. Stop calling them lazy or overpaid. Stop the video stalking of drivers when they stop for a washroom break. We’re entitled to washroom breaks, like any human being should be.”

Responding to weeks of intense public scrutiny over drivers caught napping, using ATMs and taking bathroom breaks on the job, Kinnear said a series of town hall meetings will be held to build better relationships between TTC operators and customers.

[Union president Bob] Kinnear said the union doesn’t dispute that among the 10,000 or so TTC staffers, some are going to be “less than perfect” some days.

I’d like to see some of this spontaneous citizen watchdogging in Peoria.

And Peorians can post their pictures and video on a TellPeoria or Blog Peoria Project blog.

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3 Responses to “ Cell phones drive random acts of journalism ”

  1. Mazr on February 10, 2010 at 11:59 am

    I work in a public service job and I take my morning break at just about the same time every time day in a gas station parking lot where I read the paper in my truck. And I guarantee if someone came by and took a picture and posted it somewhere the comment would be "there's that lazy so and so reading his paper when he should be working" and nothing would be further from the truth. And believe me, my bosses would like nothing more than to catch one of their workers napping on the job.

    I'm all for citizen journalism, but lets not go overboard. Seriously, would anyone have an objection to a bus driver stopping to go to the bathroom? Maybe bus drivers should take empty coffee cans with them and just go in there while driving to be more effecient. There's always going to be a small percentile in every job who reflect badly on everyone and running around with a cell phone camera won't change that.

    This smacks of self-importance.

  2. Billy Dennis on February 10, 2010 at 1:12 pm

    "Seriously, would anyone have an objection to a bus driver stopping to go to the bathroom?"

    • C. J. Summers on February 10, 2010 at 7:51 pm

      You're seriously suggesting that we shouldn't allow bus drivers to go to the bathroom? I think someone is fishing for page views….