The moment Darnella Frazier hit record, she proved anyone can hold power to account

 Via Poynter

March 17, 2025

Her 9-minute video of George Floyd’s murder became undeniable proof, fueling a global movement and reinforcing the power of citizen journalism

 

 With the single tap of a touchscreen, Darnella Frazier captured a historic moment and thrust citizen journalism into the spotlight.

The then-17-year-old Minneapolis high school student was walking to the store with her cousin on what should have been a normal Monday evening. Then, she saw police restraining a man on the pavement. She quickly pulled out her phone and began recording.

That man was George Floyd.

Frazier eventually earned a citation from the Pulitzer Prize Board for her 10 minute and 9 second video of police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck as Floyd pleaded for his life.

Her video symbolized the power of citizen journalism, demonstrating that in an era where everyone has a camera, anyone can hold power to account.


This video is part of The Poynter 50, a series reflecting on 50 moments and people that shaped journalism over the past half-century — and continue to influence its future. As Poynter celebrates its 50th anniversary, we examine how the media landscape has evolved and what it means for the next era of news.

Video by Dominique Taylor
Video clips by Jennifer Glenfield/Tampa Bay Times
Photos by AP/Shutterstock

The Right to Photograph & Record in Public: Panel Discussion in Florida

The Right to Photograph & Record in Public

 National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Sponsored by Broward County ACLU & SDX Foundation of Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

Saturday, January 25, 2014 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM (EST)
Plantation, FL

Register here.

An expert panel discussion regarding First Amendment rights:
What are the rights of citizens & the press to photograph and record in public?

Can police seize and view those images or order them to be deleted?

What is some of the most recent caselaw regarding these issues?

How can we foster a better understanding of our respective rights & responsibilities in order to have a greater respect for the roles that everyone plays in newsgathering and free speech?


Moderator:
Mickey H. Osterreicher, General Counsel, National Press Photographers Association

Panelists:                                                                
Marc Rohr, Prof. of Constitutional Law at Nova University Law School
Ron Gunzberger, General Counsel, Broward Sheriff’s Office
Carlos Miller, Journalist/Blogger/Activist and founder of Photography is Not a Crime
Radley Balko, Journalist, author and editor at The Washington Post  

FreePress: Journalists in Need of a Safety Net

Via FreePress

Josh Stearns

September 4, 2012

More and more independent journalists and citizens are putting themselves on the front lines to cover city halls and city streets, politics and protests — and they’re doing so without the support or protection afforded staff at established newsrooms.

Indeed, these journalists undertake incredible personal and legal risks to do their work. The Committee to Protect Journalists found that of the 179 journalists imprisoned worldwide in 2011, 86 were digital journalists and 78 were freelancers. Here in the U.S., nearly 90 journalists — many of whom are independents or freelancers — have been arrested or detained in the past year, and in state after state people have scuffled with police over their right to record.

We cannot build a bright future for news if we cannot create ways to protect and support the independent and citizen journalists who are trying to create that future.

Some of these journalists are building new networks of support to expand their reach and insulate them from legal threats. Learn more about these ad-hoc support networks in my post on PBS’ Media Shift site.

Original photo by Flickr user P. Weiskel

---

To support our journalism campaign, please consider a donation to the Free Press Action Fund.

Citizen Journalism: Something for Nothing Won’t Last Long

 

As a police officer sprays pepper spray on protesters,

 citizen journalists record the action in Davis, California. (Photo by Louise Macabitas)

A very good read about the new "Citizen Journalism", with commentary by Monroe Gallery photographer Stanley Forman:

"There’s a bit of an exploitative relationship between citizen journalists and news organizations. You have to know enough to ask before you can get paid.” — Steve Myers, Managing Editor, Poynter.org

“It certainly has swung too far in one direction. Whether it’ll ever swing back or not, I don’t know.” –Stanley Forman, Photojournalist

Read the full post here, via Maria Purdy Young