The Future of Journalism
By Darriel Ortiz
When we think about journalism and the role it plays in our society, we realize that its purpose is to serve the people and keep us informed. Whether it has been through radio or the mass distribution of newspapers, a form of medium has kept us up to date on the day to day events locally or around the world.
Technology has made sharing of information much easier to consume even though it has come with some challenges to the field of journalism. Alex Pan, Author of the book “The Distraction Addiction”, explains that the average American spends 60 hour a month online, 20 days on social media 38 days on blogs and news website (p.5). There has never been a time where journalists have had so many ways to connect with people. With online publication becoming increasingly accessible, journalists must find a way to work with the new technologies, not for them, in order to provide accurate and reliable information.
The survival of journalism depends on existing media corporations to open up to a diverse representation from the top of the leadership scale to the bottom of staff level. Inclusion of different perspectives at all levels is what makes journalism relatable especially in different communities of color where representation is not commonly seen.
News outlet must remain autonomous from corporations that seek only to profit off the backs of the working class. In the describing The Importance of Independent Media Host and co-Founder of Democracy Now! Amy Goodman states, “when we cover war and peace, we need a media that is not brought to you by the weapons manufactures. When we cover climate change, we are not brought to you by the oil, the gas or nuclear company…” It is critical that journalists continue to report on the issues that affect the everyday people and even more critical that news media remain nonpartisan to political parties and corporations.
Most of the major news publications will continue to use objective reporting as their main format. As Chris Hedges describes in The Disease of Objectivity, traditional news have used objective reporting to “bolster the popularity of partisan outlets that present a view of the world that has no relation to the real, but responds effectively to the emotional needs of viewers.” (p.210)These publications are mostly owned by powerful white business man like Jeff Bezos (Washington Post) and Marc Benioff (Time Magazine),whose goal will continue to up hold the status quo and report objectively.
While many news industry go digital and figure out a sustainable business model that does not hinder journalism’s credibility, future journalists must educate the public on media literacy. Many of the audience do not know the difference of paid ads or how Bots and AI play a role in the information that is being fed to them through different platforms.
Journalism will survive because it’s in the human conscious to report on the truth despite all its challenges.
