It’s a powerful movement. Every day, social media platforms are gaining momentum, changing the way news is reported and delivered, as well as how citizens view the world around them. Every day, citizen journalists emerge and contribute to our knowledge of the community.

That’s the focus of "Citizen Journalism: The Fifth Estate," an interactive discussion at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in 203 Rhatigan Student Center at Wichita State University. The public forum is free. Refreshments will be served.

The forum will explore the role that blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other social media have alongside mainstream media, as well as what citizen journalists need to do to be successful.

"This is exciting stuff in exciting times,” said Molly McMillin, president of the Kansas Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. “The world benefits from more news coverage and information. We want to help people who practice journalism do it accurately, ethically and fairly and give them the basic tools to contribute to the growing trend."

Panels and panelists include:

• Ron Sylvester, interactive reporter for The Wichita Eagle -- an overview of the rise of citizen journalism and the ethics of doing it.
• Randy Brown, executive director of the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government and senior fellow at WSU'S Elliott School of Communication -- open government issues surrounding citizen journalism.
• Lou Heldman, distinguished senior fellow in the Elliott School -- successes around the country and how you can use citizen journalism to find the news.

Find out more about training for citizen journalists and the SPJ’s Citizen Journalism Academy at www.spj.org/cja.asp.