Is The Internet Killing The Journalism Star?

Beginning in the 1990s, the rise of the internet has provoked

wholesale change in the field of mainstream journalism. The
initial predictions of some, who anticipated this change would
be a mere facelift, have proved unfounded, as the industry rule
book has been shredded, and new ideas, priorities and
relationships have been formed.
For journalism, this upheaval is every bit as revolutionary as the invention of the
printing press in the 1400s. As one industry blogger has said, "Forget reporters,
readers, viewers, column inches, press runs and broadsheets - today, it's all about
content creators, posts, RSS feeds, search, social and page views."
What is a journalist?
The internet has redefined the word journalist itself and the work it involves. Rather
than just the restrictive definition as an employee of a media organisation such as
News Corporation which boasts journalist across all media such as newspapers and
video, the term can now also refers to the largely amateur community of citizen
journalists and bloggers and vloggers who also engage in the gathering and
distribution of news.
An example of this is how a 2013 US Senate committee attempt to draft a bill about
journalistic protection hit a roadblock when members disagreed over the term
journalist, and whether unpaid newsgatherers should
be included within it.
These amateurs often carry the advantage of being
insiders or witnesses to the matter of concern, with
the ability to speak as experts. They can also work
very flexibly, often needing no more than a
smartphone to record and report stories.
Industry observers argue that their inclusion is
problematic, as amateur journalism often has far greater issues with inaccuracy,
inauthenticity and poor quality reporting (as well as breaching a persons right to
privacy?), meaning that the societal role of the professional journalist remains critical.
This may be exemplified by how low key but necessary reporting of events like council
meetings and court hearings is still predominantly the remit of professionals.
As US academic Jay Rosen has said, "journalists have the time, expertise, and
authority that citizen journalists often lack. We need journalists to support civic
society, so we, as a civic society, must figure out how we can support them.
The internet also requires journalists to broaden their skillset, developing their skills in
other formats such as broadcasting, and obligating modern journalists to have better
photography skills. It also requires snappier writing and catchier headlines, with many
online news providers using a clickbait style.
Despite this, still fundamental is the need to know how to report a good story in the
inverted pyramid format. As one blogger comments "...although the language has

changed, the role of telling stories remains the same.

Journalism is still about observing, interpreting and
informing".
Joining the conversation
Another profound change is in the role of readers and
their relationship with the news reporting process.
Connections are now horizontal, with increased
democratisation making the relationship a two-way
one. Also, people and institutions can address their audience directly and via a
multitude of platforms such as social medias Twitter and Google+, bypassing the
news media entirely.
Comment boxes at the bottom of articles
and on newspapers Facebook page, Twitter
sharing, the ability to contribute blogs,
photos and videos, and online polls all allow
the audience to participate as they engage
with the content, satisfying a basic
individual need to interact. As Rosen says,
"Today, people not only know whats
happening, they want to do something
about it."
This has brought challenges for journalists,
summarised by one blogger as "journalism
has moved from a passive lecture to an
interactive conversation. Journalists are now increasingly involved with their audience.
The web and its less passive nature has meant that journalists now have to engage
with their readers, and they have to listen.
One aspect of this listening is how the web has allowed better editorial decisionmaking, as it allows for data gathering on what stories are most read, shared and
commented upon on the organisations home page or Facebook.
Social networking is also how many readers first hear of developing stories, with less
need to access the organisations site, with and journalists themselves often actively
promoting their own work.
A crucial outcome of this is that media organisations now have less control over
content. No longer can media barons fully dictate what does and doesnt make the
news, or kill off stories at will.
Media companies are also restricted by laws, meaning juicy stories are often known to
readers before news agencies can properly report them, such as with the 2011
revelations about the footballer Ryan Giggs, whom the press were farcically barred
from identifying.

How news is gathered

The internet has also changed the news

gathering process. News often breaks online
first, perhaps as unverified rumour, meaning
professional media organisations need to
work hard to provide up to date,
accurateand accurate reporting. Readers
often find out news via informal networks,
then turn to professional media
organisations for details and
contextualisation, often through web site
sections on the topic.
This increased need for contextualisation
has occurred at a time when journalists themselves can research easily online, and
monitor what other sources are saying. Finding knowledgeable commentary on issues
has become easier, with less need to conduct expert interviews. Why would a
business journalist chase up a local economist when the views of a Nobel laureate like
Paul Krugman are easily found on his blog?
A new reader experience
New technology has created a new user experience, as news can be accessed
anywhere, anytime. Tablet Smart media devices computers are a further advance, as
they have the benefits of smartphones but are easier to read and most likely always
connected to the internet. Mobile applications mean that users can access news
quickly and on the go, but may prefer shorter texts. This is a huge advance on the
early days of online news, when primitive WAP technology on mobile phones allowed
only short text articles with no visuals.
Does this make money?
Fundamentally, journalism is a business, and needs to sustain profitability to survive.
The early days of the web saw predictions of doom for major media organisations, yet
in contrast, many found ways the internet can benefit them.
The news production process is now cheaper than ever, as news and information is
easily sourced, and the switch online means printing costs are reduced or indeed
eliminated, if the organisation abandons its print version. To refer to the industry as
"publishing" is now a misnomer as printing is no longer the major cost.
Aside from advertising, which has become increasingly creative and is characterised
by campaigns running across multiple media formats, some news organisations have
introduced subscription models, but this has met with varying results. The Wall Street
Journal has succeeded with this as people are willing to pay for financial information,
but other outlets failed, like The Irish Times, which made a U-turn after finding that
subscription was too much of an ask for its readers, who moved elsewhere.
Other media outlets have found the online format a challenge. Rosen says that
although some have exploited the internets flexibility, others have been found
wanting, and many of the most progressive sites have never existed in print format,
such as The Huffington Post.
Is the end nigh for print?

Some cry woe that all this means the end of paper as a format, but others argue this
is irrelevant, as the medium is less important than the message, and genuine
journalism still has a crucial role. As renowned academic Clay Shirky says, Society
doesnt need newspapers. What we need is journalism.

Topics:
The internet, media, journalism, US Senate, Boomerang, Jay Rosen,
clickbait, Paul Krugman, WAP technology, The Huffington Post, The Irish
Times, The Wall Street Journal, Ryan Giggs, Clay Shirky