Future of Journalism

What's up next for Journalists?

So now that I've defined journalism and discussed who journalists are, it's time to analyze where the whole industry is headed. What's in store for journalists in the future? Some people wonder why we even need journalists anymore; with the internet so accessible to everyone, all people can start a blog, update their facebook, or send out a tweet to spread news and information. Although advanced technology has changed the workings of the press and the internet has opened up more possibilities for public contribution, I don't think the journalism profession has lost its value. In fact, journalism has grown even more important in that it's focus is to distribute news as quickly and widely as possible while maintaining credibility. I believe journalists are absolutely vital to further democracy and preserve freedom, and the need for them will never diminish. But I recognize that technology is changing the world, and journalists need to step up to the challenge to succeed.

One way to do this, is to become comfortable with the new forms of social media, and encourage consumer participation in the news. We read an article for class about News Mixer, a new social networking site formed to try new methods of reader/viewer participation. The internet is certainly a fast way to get the information out, but it can also be used for instant feedback. News mixer offers more than just a "open-ended comment box." Readers can ask and answer questions in the margins right next to the story to participate in the news, and they can even write a short "Letter to the Editor" which gets its own page on the website and is treated like an article that can get its own feedback. This interactivity between readers and journalists will help fuel the marketplace of ideas and get all people more involved in the world.

We also watched a documentary called Stop the Presses in class that talked about what's in store for journalism in the near future. The editors, and producers, and reporters who were interviewed all recognized the changing times and said that journalists need to adapt to these changes or suffer. They focused specifically on what would happen to print journalism. While some predicted the end of the newspaper business within the next 30 years, others could not comprehend a life without newspapers. A few people said the newspaper was a regular part of their everyday life; a paper is permanent and tactile and people like the idea that they can physically hold on to a story for future reference. Either way, print journalists are recognizing the need to adapt to the changing news media. They have begun picking up new skills like photography, filming, and web-writing, so they can spread the news in multiple ways. In this time of change, reporters are finding how important it is to be able to do it all-- gather news, put a story together, and get it out there in the marketplace of ideas. Not only do they have to do this all, but today, they have to do it FAST!

The film also focused on how the whole process has sped up because of the internet. People can know instantly what's going on all over the world, so news organizations can't be far behind with the story. This presents a problem in finding confirmation to ensure accuracy. With less time to confirm stories and deadlines creeping up on reporters, they have to just do the best they can with the sources they have. I'm doing an internship at ABC Channel 4 right now, and I've seen this predicament in action. With lots of heavy competition for the Salt Lake market (specifically KSL) ABC's got to get their stories out fast, but it's important to take the necessary amount of time to verify the story. So, what do you do? I really like the way this issue is handled at ABC: they print or broadcast only what they've verified with multiple, reliable sources, but they promise the audience to give updates on the story as soon as they come. This way, ABC can still break the story, and the audience can know that what is said is credible. Accuracy is vital to journalism, and without it, there's really no point in the news. It's easy to submit something online; anyone can do it. And this is why journalists are so necessary for democracy-- they are committed to reporting the truth.

The developing social media makes the future exciting for journalism, and the actual outcome really depends on the journalists themselves. How will we respond to the constant changes in technology and the evolving demands of society? Will we be able to step up? I've seen many reporters do just that. They take what life gives them and run with it, and that's what I intend to do.

What is Journalism, and Who's involved?

Journalism: Defined

To start off my personal definition of journalism, I feel it is vital to first consider the history of journalism. Now, I don't intend to provide a long lecture outlining the history and development of the news media; in fact, I mean quite the opposite. One crucial fact in American history relating to journalism stands out to me: the 1st amendment assures the freedom of the press by providing specific Constitutional protection. This fact shows just how important journalism is to democracy, and how necessary a free press is to protect the future of freedom in America and throughout the world.

"Journalism" is a broad encompassing word that can have so many different definitions, but I believe the these three concepts make up the primary purpose of journalism in society:

• Seek truth and report it
  
• Provide people with the information they need to be free and self-governing
• Spark conversations among the people by giving them things to think about

I believe that these three aspects of journalism are what have preserved the practices of news-gathering and reporting throughout all these years of constant global change. They also form the heart of real journalism, and they are the essence of why I want to spend my life as a journalist, which brings me to my next question.

Who is a journalist?

From what I know about myself and from what I've studied about other people in the news industry, I've seen that most journalists have three qualities in common:

• A deep love for reading and ESPECIALLY for writing
• An insatiable curiosity
• A desire to contribute to society and make a difference

These three passions make up the foundation for a true journalist. I do believe that journalism is a real profession, and I also believe that it takes education, experience, and dedication to succeed in the news business. Without people who have devoted their time and skills to the gathering and presentation of news, news quality and credibility would diminish considerably. This ensures a constant societal need for journalists. But a wonderful thing about the internet and various forms of social media is how everyone who has the desire to write, to share their opinions, or to gather and report information has the ability to do so. Now in seconds people all over the world can be actively engaged in a blogger forum discussing current events. But journalists will always be necessary to give these forums necessary guidance and credibility by ensuring that the truth does not get lost among the abundant flow of online opinions.