ASB and Citizen Media

Wahad Khanfar, managing director of Al Jazeera, agrees there could be benefits to the citizens themselves as well as to the broadcasters.

"In the Arab world in particular, citizen journalism is a necessity. You are talking about the future that is being shaped, about reform and democracy, about a situation where institutions might not live up to the expectations of the masses.

Wahad Khanfar: Citizen journalism is a necessity

"Now people express their views and have some input. That is a phenomenon we need in the Arab world and must be encouraged."

In fact, the issue of opening up the media to a greater range of voices is at the heart of a wider debate about who should be supplying the news itself.

"There is a whole movement out there which is trying to democratise the media," according to Danny Schechter, journalist and author of Death of the Media.

"They want something new that connects with their real lives. They want something that reflects their lives and also want to be involved in it."