Thinking of Journalism
By Chris Sewell
When I think of journalism, I automatically get an image of someone sharing to others information about what is currently happening around them. I think of a voyager reporting back to the mainland reports of any new discoveries, whether gold, people, or land that would suit the expansion of the empire. I think of ink and paper that require skills and careful maneuver because there is no erasing this kind of ink. I think of town halls and even town squares where the masses gather to listen to a speaker who is well informed on matters of politics. Today this is not the case because journalism, as evolved into a, read-it-yourself service.
This read it yourself idea has to do with the accessibility that journalist has at their disposal. High-speed internet and computers are the utopia of today, everyone can have one or at least access to one. Today the news and other critical information are available to whomsoever has interest in them. They can be heard and seen on the go, while in transit and during work. News outlets are so intent on serving the masses that almost every news agency have some form of website that list the news, just in case the televised version is miss. These websites are now accessible to viewers and readers of different demographics and age groups. I think that this is an effective form of serving the masses because people spend more time on their cellphone and computer than ever before.
The utopia that has been created to serve the masses is diminishing to the journalist. This is so, when was the last time after reading an online news update, you inquire on who wrote this?
The only recollection I can come up with is in terms of citations. Another diminishing factor toward journalists is the fact that there are probably too many. The people of today are taking it upon themselves to report news, updates, and even their opinions from these mobile devise. The fact is that these are not professionals but that does not exempt them because the information that they provide is still current and sometimes they are included in the official broadcast. An aspect of this is a bystander capturing footage of something that happens as it unfolded, i.e.; on the scene footage of 9/11.
CNN is a popular news outlet that provides critical news updates and information on a daily basis. This news network is also available on mobile devices, whether it is through an app or their personal online website. Other local news sources provide news update within their respective local boundaries.
I also think that CNN does a good job of covering all the important areas that have to do with keeping the masses inform both within the United States borders and around the world. Therefore, a news source doing their job better than another is a kind of derogative due to structuring, however, that does not eliminate a journalist competing against each other for stories that are the bloodline of these news outlets.
