From printing to swiping — how the internet has challenged and optimised the journalism sector
Journalists can no longer function without the internet. The traditional channels of communicating news have all but gone extinct, with printing press quickly becoming a thing of the past, and the use of TV and traditional radio diminishing rapidly. The mediums previously used by news outlets have moved online, TV and radio streaming services, online newsletters and magazines. There is a struggle here for profit making, as previously media could make money through selling advertising spaces as well as selling hard copies of their content in shops, whereas now they are largely available for free online.
Journalists need to adapt to online media if they are going to survive, and if they can make it, thrive. Using social media as a new-age communication channel, for instance Twitter, creates a platform for a source of breaking news, delivering live and up-to-date news that’s easily accessible for everyone. For example, videos of news events from those who actually witnessed them. Using online blogs, such as New York Times’ Medium (****) blog allows organisations to deliver hard hitting news as well as lighter, everyday news stories.
Audiences now have the ability to choose the media they consume (and they have a lot of choice). This is a challenge as it’d difficult to ‘stand out’ from the crowd, however this may push them to improve their content and become more engaging for their audience.
“A new generation of media consumers has risen demanding content delivered when they want it, how they want it and very much as they want it” — Rupert Murdoch (very powerful person in journalism, owns a large proportion of the newsletters in UK and US)
Due to the mass amounts of media available, people have to decide what they can trust to be ‘true’ and reliable sources — more ‘fake news’ than ever due to the accessibility of journalism to all. Anyone could deem themselves to be a journalist if they write a blog post or share news on social media. This can cause spreading of misinformation. Recently, there has been a rise in the desire to distinguish between true and false information, this effect has been named ‘The Trump Bump’ following former US president Donald’s Trump’s refute of ‘fake news’, encouraging readers to move towards trusted news providers.
The ease of access and use that the internet allows means that there is a free narrative available to all, giving everyone the opportunity to share stories and first-hand accounts of events and experiences, e.g. Black Lives Matter protests. This is both good and bad, as it allows for live, raw footage from many people who have themselves experienced something, however it also means that misinformation can be perpetuated almost too easily. Journalists now have the ability to reach audiences internationally and 24 hours a day, allowing for immediate responses to online content and the ability to ‘break’ news at any time.
The internet allows for unfiltered information to be accessed by all, as news editors and governments are no longer gatekeepers of information due to the disappearance of costs of distribution. Where there is corporate money involved with the printing press, there is always going to be biased reporting. Therefore, the transformation of journalism from newsletters and TV to the internet, including social media, allows the people to hold power in what they consume.
Audiences can now contribute to the media content, for instance liking or leaving comments on news articles, blogs, and social media posts. There is almost an information exchange taking place, rather than a journalist just directing information at an anonymous audience. Readers can now ‘add’ to the news source, for instance TV news often sources pictures and videos from Twitter and other social media. Journalism is no longer the one-way stream of communication that it once was, and it is better for it.
Journalists are challenged with engaging with their readers; they are tasked with creating high quality engaging content that will attract and absorb readers. This creates a valuable opportunity for them to produce this highly engaging content. The response and adaptability of the journalist is what makes it either a challenge or opportunity, as they can either fall short or they can thrive by this chance to differentiate.
To conclude, the internet has created many challenges for the journalism sector, as companies are forced online, using new channels to communicate with their readers, required to promote themselves, create highly engaging content that readers enjoy and feel that they can get involved in. News outlets have to validate themselves as a source of reliable information that does not involve false ideas or facts. Additionally, they are forced to promote themselves, using search engine optimisation and self-marketing.
However, the internet has also created a lot of opportunities, making news and journalism more widely accessible than ever before, creating space for a free narrative and allowing people to share their personal experiences and accounts of events. Using social media and blogs allows companies to diversify their content and ultimately create a better user experience. The move of journalism and news online, if perceived as an opportunity rather than a threat, is a chance for journalism individuals and organisations to better themselves and truly succeed, engaging both new and old audiences and producing content of the finest quality.
