Online has taken the journalism industry, and safe to say, the world by storm. Continually growing since the 1990s, it seems that traditional media has reacted to the online change with fear, converging with the form to simply survive in the competing media world (Nguyen, 2010). This convergence however, raises a few questions about the future of journalism including the role of the traditional journalist.
Like most people my age, using the internet is about as normal as getting dressed in the morning. It is a routine part of everyday life used for leisure, research, entertainment and increasingly for sourcing the news. A recent survey of journalism students found 90 per cent were choosing to source news from online, rather than traditional newspapers saying they were "impractical" compared with their digital counterpart (ABC, 2009, online). In many ways this is because online has so much more to offer people in terms of immediacy, interactivity and multimedia formats for a considerably lower cost (Nguyen, 2010).
With online news continuing to grow stronger in terms of audience and content, it seems traditional media and journalists have no choice but to adapt to this 'new' journalism. Steensen (2009, p. 702) says that "traditional skills such as specialised, investigative beat reporting and deadline sensitivity have been downplayed and replaced by immediacy in reporting, multiskilling and multitasking, copy-paste mentality and 24/7 deadlines" as a result of online news. Steensen (2009) also points out that this revolution in the role of the journalist is being shaped by both historical or traditional factors such as writing skills and also contemporary factors like audience interaction.
Both journalists and traditional media will have to adapt to the inevitable change to online forms. Tapsall (2001, p. 239-241) states that “news organisations are more likely to be asked ‘how will you compete with online?’ Rather than ‘do you need or want to maintain an online presence?’.”I believe this is where thinking needs to change.
Rather than adopting this technological determinist perspective (Tapsall, 2001), traditional media needs to view online as a partner, utilising its potential to disseminate news rather than a form it must use to stay in the competition. With competition comes a decline in journalistic news values which is why we as future journalists must adapt to all forms (we’re well on our way) and use them to our advantage in delivering the stories that audiences want and need.
With online news continuing to grow stronger in terms of audience and content, it seems traditional media and journalists have no choice but to adapt to this 'new' journalism. Steensen (2009, p. 702) says that "traditional skills such as specialised, investigative beat reporting and deadline sensitivity have been downplayed and replaced by immediacy in reporting, multiskilling and multitasking, copy-paste mentality and 24/7 deadlines" as a result of online news. Steensen (2009) also points out that this revolution in the role of the journalist is being shaped by both historical or traditional factors such as writing skills and also contemporary factors like audience interaction.
Both journalists and traditional media will have to adapt to the inevitable change to online forms. Tapsall (2001, p. 239-241) states that “news organisations are more likely to be asked ‘how will you compete with online?’ Rather than ‘do you need or want to maintain an online presence?’.”I believe this is where thinking needs to change.
Rather than adopting this technological determinist perspective (Tapsall, 2001), traditional media needs to view online as a partner, utilising its potential to disseminate news rather than a form it must use to stay in the competition. With competition comes a decline in journalistic news values which is why we as future journalists must adapt to all forms (we’re well on our way) and use them to our advantage in delivering the stories that audiences want and need.
Sources:
ABC. (2009). Journalism students ‘don’t read papers’ [Electronic version]. ABC News http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/11/2513424.htm
Nguyen, A. (2010). Harnessing the potential of online news: Suggestions from a study on the relationship between online news advantages and its post-adoption consequences [Electronic version]. Journalism, 11(2). 223-241. Retrieved September, 2010, from SAGE database.
Steensen, S. (2009). The shaping of an online feature journalist [Electronic version]. Journalism, 10(5), 702-718. Retrieved September, 2010, from SAGE database.
Steensen, S. (2009). The shaping of an online feature journalist [Electronic version]. Journalism, 10(5), 702-718. Retrieved September, 2010, from SAGE database.
Tapsall, S. (2001). The media is the message, In S. Tapsall & C. Varley Journalism: Theory in Practice. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. 235-253.
I definitely agree with your point that traditional journalism needs to embrace the Internet as a partner in disseminating the news. It will also help them in gaining ideas for stories and leads. However, I think there may be a fine line between this free content and traditional journalism. We still need to reliability and trust of print journalism, but will people recognise this if everything goes digital? Someone will have to pay for quality journalism in the end. I just wonder if we will be willing to do so.
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