This study aims to examine the role of Citizen Journalism in addressing human rights issues; where ordinary citizen can participate in collecting, publishing and analysing news, a function previously reserved for major media organizations. This is a descriptive study, based on content analysis of a sample of press article represented the website of Jordanian Ammon Net, and two electronic newspapers, “El youm7th” newspaper from Egypt and Deutsche Welle from Germany. Source, subject and trends during the period from first of July until 30th of September 2017 were analysed. The results of the study indicate a clear increase interest in Citizen Journalism; also, there was a divergence of views among the study’s sample on the subject of freedom of opinion and expression. The study sample differed in its approach to cover human rights issues, but agreed on the importance of the Citizen Journalism in collecting and disseminating information to the public, making this type of media a powerful tool contributing to change.

Citizen journalism, Human rights, Websites, E-Newspapers.

This study aims to examine the role of Citizen Journalism in addressing human rights issues; where ordinary citizen can participate in collecting, publishing and analysing news, a function previously reserved for major media organizations. This is a descriptive study, based on content analysis of a sample of press article represented the website of Jordanian Ammon Net, and two electronic newspapers, “El youm7th” newspaper from Egypt and Deutsche Welle from Germany. Source, subject and trends during the period from first of July until 30th of September 2017 were analysed. The results of the study indicate a clear increase interest in Citizen Journalism; also, there was a divergence of views among the study’s sample on the subject of freedom of opinion and expression. The study sample differed in its approach to cover human rights issues, but agreed on the importance of the Citizen Journalism in collecting and disseminating information to the public, making this type of media a powerful tool contributing to change.

Citizen journalism, Human rights, Websites, E-Newspapers.

This study is exploring the role of Citizen Journalism in covering human rights issues. This role is one of the aspects introduced by the modern technology revolution. The Internet has contributed to changing the concept of the traditional media; with the internet, people receive the news at the time of its occurrence. Over the internet we upload pictures, videos and other interactive features. All of this is in line with the emergence of new generations who are practicing all their activities through the Internet, which has attracted many segments of society.

The participation of citizens in media, gives us what we called “Citizen Journalism”. In other words, the Citizen Journalism is “the recipient when he becomes a sender”. The Citizen Journalism has greatly influenced over the past years in formation public opinion and the formation of people attitudes. The eyewitnesses see the accidents; and they can transfer the events at the same time it is occur. They are sending a report and photos to the media. The eyewitnesses can be a journalist in the unlike way of journalists in the mainstream media, Citizen Journalism can be anonymous contributors without any training on the press.

According to the history of electronic journalism, the first newspaper in the United States launched an electronic version was the “Chicago Tribune” in 1992. This electronic newspaper spread through “Chicago Online”. News sites and e-newspapers appeared on the Internet, both for newspapers and television channels or for independent news websites, which are an independent electronic news channel in their own right.

Citizen Journalism has grown because of what the public increasingly publishes or contributes to the media rather than just consuming it. Some people think that these audiences are playing a greater role in providing news content to the media [1].

We see this in Korean website “Oh My News”, being the eyes and ears of the media to provide immediate information such as pictures and videos of accidents or immediate events, in other words difficult news reports that require a presence on the ground, swept the traditional way of reporting the news. Many newspapers have relied on photos and newspaper articles published in Blogs for a citizen who have no professional practice of journalism [2].

It is clear from the above, that Citizen Journalism is taken place of the traditional press, which is no longer able to compete with the huge amount of information available through social media.

With the growing interest in human rights issues at the local and international levels, we witnessed increasing demand for freedom of expression and the right of every citizen to access and disseminate information [3].

This study will examine the coverage of Citizen Journalism to human rights issues through analyzing the coverage of human rights issues in the Jordanian Ammon Net website, Egyptian daily newspaper Al-Youm-7th and the German enewspaper Deutsche Welle.

Importance of the Study: This study depends on the importance of the phenomenon of Citizen Journalism. The importance of this study can be determined in the following points:

The study aims to achieve the following objectives:

The study seeks to answer the following questions:

This is a descriptive study aims at describing phenomena or events, through collecting facts, information and observations. This study is describing the specific circumstances of all events, and then determining their condition, as they exist in reality [4].

The study will based on survey, in which the content of the Citizen Journalism coverage ofhuman rights issues, especially freedom of opinion and expression and the rights of prisoners materials will be examined during the period from 1^st of July until 30^th of September 2017, on Ammon Net website, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Youm-7th and the Deutsche Welle,

Population: The population of this study consists of the web sites and electronic newspapers that have been identified to serve the objectives of the study, namely, Ammon Net, the Al- Youm 7th Egyptian newspaper and the German newspaper Deutsche Welle.

We chose these websites according to its diversity and was not limited to one geographical area, but extended to include a local country (Jordan); Ammon Net identified because of its interest in local Jordanian issues. It is the first Jordanian electronic news website, which has become the first source of information, interaction with Jordanians inside and outside Jordan. This website has a high density of users according to international standards.

Al-Youm 7^th Egyptian E-website/E-newsletter of Al- Youm 7^th newspaper, which is considered one of the top 10 sites visited by Egyptians according to Alexa’s. This website is ranked No. 7^th, provides news services, news coverage and area for comments and free writing.

Deutsche Welle website, German site that provides news and analysis, presents Germany views on Arab issues.

All of these sites are interested in Citizen Journalism through publishing the best blogs and blogging pages, especially in the fields of human rights.

The analytical study was conducted to monitor the human rights issues of the Citizen Journalism, especially in the fields of the opinion, expression, and prisoners’ rights. This through the study’s sample, represented by the Ammon net website, the Deutsche Welle website, and Youm 7th website from 1/7/2017 to 30/9/2017.

The essential data of the site/electronic newspaper (sample study) Sample: Three months period from 1 July 2017 to 30 September 2017, with the aim of analyzing human rights issues, especially in the areas of freedom of opinion and expression and the rights of prisoners in the following websites: Ammon Net, the Youm 7th Egyptian newspaper, and the Deutsche Welle.

Study tool: To achieve the objectives of the study; we will use content analysis technique to analyze the coverage of the study sample.

The researchers tried to select the appropriate categories of research, giving dimensions to measure the value, content of the subject matter, in line with the research and enhance its results.

The units of analysis are a set of classifications or categories that the researcher prepares according to the quality of the content and the purpose of the analysis. These units will be used to describe the content and to classify it with the highest possible degree of objectivity [5]:

Unit of journalism arts/templates: The journalistic arts that are used such as the report, article, news, blogs, etc. All the journalistic templates adopted by the websites represent the study sample in dealing with human rights issues through Citizen Journalism.

Categories what was said?

The research instrumentals were presented to u to a number of specialized researchers for measuring its validity. The results of this process helped to improve the research form in many aspects. Researchers prepared the final form after making the necessary adjustments in accordance with the observations of the arbitrators to the target data.

In the side of the stability test, the test was repeated using the researcher’s method of stability. The sample of the sample was analyzed by the researcher twice in two different time periods, and the stability factor was calculated based on the results, as if analyzed each time with a different code [6].

In other words, this is a new type of media that shares traditional media in concept, general principles, objectives, and differs from it depends on a new medium of new media, the integration of all traditional means of communication, in order to communicate the content required in different forms [11].

The webs sits refer to sites for publishing news, investigations, analyzes that have been prepared, published for publication on the Internet. Their articles are published around 24th hours per day. Professional editors and correspondents who can be called Internet journalists write these sites. These sites produce prepared content or immediate publication, Modern communication and its potential [10].

Information systems theory

The study is aiming to identify the role of Citizen Journalism in dealing with human rights issues through websites and electronic newspapers, especially in the fields of the freedom of opinion, expression and the rights of prisoners, the theory of media frameworks was chosen from many theories of communication to scientific rooting of the subject of the study.

The theory of “Information frameworks” provides a systematic explanation for the role of the media in shaping ideas, attitudes towards outstanding issues, and their relationship to the public’s cognitive and emotional responses to issues [12]. The media is not limited to the mere provision of news content. It is also the construction of the meaning of this content by framing according to the angles, aspects that enable the making of assessments, judgments on it. This increases the importance of the theory and applications in the field of academic studies. The frameworks represent an important step in the production process of news articles; determine the positions of the recipient, and public attitudes towards various events and issues

The main assumption of this theory is that juveniles do not in themselves have a certain significance, but rather gain their meaning by placing them in a framework that defines, regulates, gives them a degree of consistency by focusing on certain aspects of the subject and omitting other aspects.

Framework defined as “the process that determines and regulates through media sources the political issue or public debate around them. According to that the media frameworks influence public opinion by focusing on specific values, facts or other ideas that are given by a high degree of more relevant clarity than alternative frameworks.

From the above we draw the most important points that underpin the theory of media frameworks [13]:

The most advantages of the information frameworks’ theory in the current study: The framework of the journalistic text theory is considering the entrance for Citizen Journalism through its structural elements. It consists of headings and sub-sections [14]. We can look to these elements through its structural. This theory includes; the useofimage, the presented evidence, the choice of source, quotations, logos, statistics, data and concluding paragraphs, through which the implicit content of the text can be accessed and analysed, thereby integrating the analytical vision with regard to the issues of different types and degree of importance [15].

The theory of media frameworks is depending on the events and contents of the media do not have significance in themselves unless they are organized in a context and media frameworks. These frameworks regulate words, texts and meanings, use prevailing social experiences and values, the content of the message and the interpretation of its role in influencing the views and trends of the public.

In the framework of the theory of “media frameworks”, the media can put phenomena such as violence, oppression, inequality, social issues and freedom of expression in different frames and patterns, whether ignored or confused and placed in the background of interests; In this study we are concerned primarily with the rights of opinion, expression and the rights of prisoners.

The theory of frameworks contributed in practical application of many concepts and ideas. This theory made a theoretical framework consistent with the subject of study. This theory has strong principles. This theory includes logic provided by the studies of cognitive psychology on the representation of knowledge. The judgments of this theory based on the frameworks, and concepts. We see this is clear in the media (the Internet) one of the most important sources of news in individuals. If we want to shed the theory of frameworks on the treatment of sites and newspapers for human rights issues, especially in the areas of rights of opinion and expression and the rights of prisoners. We have a several facts that are focusing on the use of certain news frameworks; other facts that are outside of the framework of news. This means that the news presented to the public is framed according to the ideology and the reference that it believes in. From these sites, the public begin to change its view of human rights issues. They are becomes more aware, awareness of rights, the way to deal with them and defend them in case of violation.

Newman comments on the played role by the Citizen Journalism, “It is not about the rate of uploading videos on YouTube, for example. The real issue is the rapid spread of what is uploaded, and this is the standard [16]”.

The Citizen Journalism has dealt with many prominent events and issues in the Arab countries, and the world at large. This role appears to try to guide public opinion on some issues, whether with support or opposition.

With the increasing interest in human rights, popular revolutions began in the Arab world in 2011, which strengthened the role of the so-called “Citizen Journalism and the new media”. We saw new thing appeared. This thing is the role of social media, mobile phones, blogs and others in the transfer of the event, the construction of the press story, Television networks and websites. All of these things have become increasingly dependent on the new media, adapted to the rapidly evolving technology that has provided these modern and ever-evolving media.

Technological advances in various forms led to emergence the Citizen Journalism or popular journalism, have reinforced the idea that journalism should be seen today as an activity. This activity is not a profession. We see not all bloggers, social activists necessarily have press activities, but those who do so can should be subjected to harassment, threats, attacks, as do journalists who work in the traditional media. Accordingly, everyone who carries out a presswork in the public interest should enjoy special protection. All decisions recently adopted by various United Nations bodies increasing community recognition the international community.

Some researchers refer to the history of Citizen Journalism from the date of the US presidential election in 1988 among the candidates George W Bush and Michael Dukakis. When the citizen had a role in moving the media and providing them with news, following doubts raised about the credibility of television news in that period, to involve the citizen in the election campaigns and not to devote the hours of broadcasting to the candidates only as was the case at the time [17].

The term of Citizen Journalism, linked to “transformative processes that bring within participants and their communities” or ways in which the public can become involved in the media using the various resources available [18].

However, the Citizen Journalism with its current term is linked to the social networking sites has had older names according to its uses and the development of means of communication at the time. It started from the concept of participatory media. This kind of journalism allows the citizen to collect, analyze, submit information, then called the street press, lobbying campaigns to support workers outside the traditional, official media outlets, until the term “Citizen Journalism” ended up distinguishing it from several other types in which a journalist with journalism is involved in a community media product.

The Citizen Journalism applies to all “user-generated content” and is universally known as content generateduser, which is the content produced by any Internet user without professional conditions or journalistic standards [19]. The most prominent term that leads to the ultimate development of Citizen Journalism is participatory media.

On the other hand, many researchers believes that social networking sites have given the citizen power to express and thus influence the environment of citizens, so that some citizens have become sources of news and reference to journalists working in the field [20].

Coverage of human rights issues

Table 1 and 2 shows that Ammon Net come in the first place in terms of the opinion and expression’s rights (79.3%), followed by Al-Youm 7th (78.43%), Deutsche Welle came in the third place with (51.16%).While in the issues of the rights of prisoners Deutsche Welle came first (48.84%), followed by the El-Youm 7thelectronic newspaper and the site of Ammon net (21.57%)(20.69%). In spite of the fact that we observe the agreement to deal with the freedom of opinion and expression in accordance with article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the rights of prisoners, take weak place in both sites (El-Youm 7thelectronic newspaper and the site of Ammon net).

It is clear from Table 3 the type of Journalism Art used by the study sample. Image and news are in the first place by (34.06%), followed by image and comment (25.76%), while using caricature came in the last place.

Table 4 shows that the logic technique used by the study sample. The study sample used one point of view technique by (33.93%) followed by reliance on data, numbers, statistics by (29.17%), then citing evidence, evidence by (20.24%), (10.71%) and finally only information (5.95%), which was not covered by Ammon Net.While in the emotional technique, the study sample used emotional aspects or words by (68.1%), in the first place, followed by underestimation, intimidation and exaggeration (68.1%).

Table 5 shows that using objective images came in the first place (48.26%), followed by personal images (23.26%). While using graphics and frame highlight came in the last place. This reflects the expected result for the Citizen Journalism as it seeks to convey the reality, to serve its audiences

Table 6 shows that using negatives framework came in the first place (21.77%), followed closely by (20.16%) the framework of reasons issues. This reflects the deteriorating situation of human rights in the fields of study sample(opinion, expression, and prisoners’ rights).

Table 7 shows that emotional and mental ambitions came in the first place in presenting human rights issues (44.44%), followed by mental ambitions (23.46%). This is indicating that issues presented by Citizen Journalism need both emotional and mental ambitions.

Table 8 presented active characters in human rights issues; union and federations came in the first place (23.7%), citizen came in the second place (20.8%) and academic and experts came in the last place by (2.31%). This confirms the decline of their role in the field of active characters.

In the direction of personality, we note from Table 9 that most of the tendency came towards support of human rights issues, which came in first place by nearly half (47.17%), followed neutral by (28.3%), then opposition (16.98%), and mixed by (7.55%).

Table 10 shows that political activist came in the first place regarding subjects sources by (30.73%), while eyewitnesses came in the last place as sources for information. It is clear from the table the role of Citizen Journalism who can detect some issues may not reach public opinion or not covered by traditional media or are limited to an official who believes it is his duty to publicize and report.

Table 11 shows that analysis of human rights issues came in the first placeby (38.15%), while given conclusion to human rights issue came in the last place by (17.34%).

Table 12 presented the motive to publish human rights issues. Behavioural change came in the first place (52.6%) while providing information in human rights issue came in the last place by (14.62%).

Table 13 dealt with the technique used in dealing with human rights issues. Giving the reasons to dealing with the issues came in the first place by (24.89%), this can be seen to clarify the t issue. In the last place came the direct attack technique (2.22%).

Table 14 dealt with the objectives of addressing human rights issues. We see in the first place t to cover future issues in human rights issues by (33.91%). In the last place, dealing with outcome of the issue by (4.02%), and arrange them in the latter to contribute to the goals of treatment.

Findings on human rights issues analysis shows that the issues of freedom of opinion, expression, and prisoners’ rights are balanced in the study sample.

Media coverage of the journalism arts has declined to three types: photo, story and report. The story or news came in the first place among the other artistic categories, followed by a picture, comment, then the report. Each of them is superior to the rest of the journalism arts as an interactive role with human rights issues. The researchers explain that reports occupies an important position among other journalism arts because of presentation and the intensity of information that satisfy the reader’s desire, especially when the subject is a highly interest in the public agenda. The news usually requires a presence on the ground, in ways that almost capture the traditional way of reporting the news. The sense of journalist citizen takes care of the immediate and immediate news only without making a press article.

In terms of the results of the study, we find that there is a difference in the proportions and arrangement of direct publishing from site to another. We see in the table arts journalism ranked seventh, was limited to Ammon Net and Deutsche Welle. While the site of the event ranked fourth in the table elements of highlighting, was addressed by all means, differentiation in the treatment of media in the proportions of the distribution of analysis materials in the means of the study sample.

The researchers found that it is natural that the sources of the events issue in the Citizen Journalism rely on a political activist. The researchers examined the study’s sample from all sides. These sides include the nature of his identity, the official, multi-source, and so on. This is not appearing in the German newspaper Deutsche Welle. From here, the role of eyewitnesses, decline in their job or role. This result indicates that the Citizen Journalism is generally dependent on the sources of the journalist citizen opposite the newspaper, in the traditional media. At the same time, we see the interesting in the news through their sources. This is from Citizen Journalism, not to adopt the views of those who convey the news.

The theory of framework analysis is consistent with the results of this study. The Citizen Journalism works to create the public domain of the issues studied, according to the different nature of its content. This is reflected in the agreement of a number of analysis tables. The aim of the issue is to behavioural changes, and then to address future aspects of the goal of addressing the issues, all of which combine to address sensitive issues such as rights issues human and private in our Arab world, which we need much to achieve on the ground.

Thus, access is achieved through the analysis of frameworks to the implicit content of the text and its significance through its structural elements, and the framing of the media message. This message provides the ability to measure, focus, display, explain the role of the message in influencing public opinion and trends. Unions and federations are facing these issues, and all that presents the results of these confrontations is negative. We seek to turn it positively with reason, emotion and not one of them with the aim of pushing for behaviour in order to deal with future aspects, Citizen Journalism seeks to adopt positive attitudes or achieve them contrary to the idea of media oriented or traditional.