Walter Bird Jr
Aug 25, 2017 · 2 min read

How journalism is under attack (And not just by Trump)

The easy target for journalists nowadays when it comes to defending our beloved institution of journalism is President Donald Trump. But we were under attack well before the former reality TV star and avid Tweeter took up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. And by the same weapon of his choice: social media.

It did not happen overnight, of course. Like all good relationships, there was a honeymoon between society and social media. But once we truly comprehended the power that comes with instant communication, all bets were off.

Whereas, in what now seems the time of dinosaurs, newspapers and broadcast news dictated the pace of disseminating information — remember when you bought a newspaper in the morning and didn’t already know all the stories? — social media has zipped by at the speed of a bullet.

Anyone and everyone with a cell phone (preferably one armed with a camera), an iPad or tablet can capture “the news” and get it out there for mass consumption within minutes.

Facebook is, at the moment, the king when it comes to social media platforms. There are 1.86 billion active monthly users — a figure that dwarfs its nearest competitors.

Think about that: although estimates vary, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2016 there were 40,090 reporters and correspondents working in the U.S. The worldwide number is, ostensibly, much higher, but it is safe to say we are outnumbered by the everyday Joe Facebook users.

And many of them are calling themselves journalists. Bloggers are among the biggest offenders. What constitutes news nowadays has come to have a rather loose definition. And with trained journalists struggling to keep up, the things that most define the industry — ethics, accuracy in reporting, etc. — have suffered.

Is there a “war on journalism?” Yes. But Donald Trump didn’t start it. We did, when we went on that first date with a comely young lady called social media.

Walter Bird Jr. is an award-winning journalist from Massachusetts, with a combined 25-plus years of experience as a newspaper and media professional.

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