Journalists in the future are going to have to learn and adapt if they want to survive in the new online media. Now with everyone capable of blogging and reporting in some form it is even more essential to sharpen your skills as a reporter. Finding stories that are not only interesting but insightful will have to be the regular standard of work for all of us if we want to keep readers coming back to read more.
I feel as if someone in the near future is going to have to discover how we can profit off of online stories. There has been a slow progression with YouTube videos and online TV shows showing advertisements between clips to make money. The only problem is if people have to pay for articles online, they may just go elsewhere where they can get the same information for free.
Until there is some sort of precedent set I believe you will see the continuing decline of newspapers, not the extinction, but a much lesser form than we grow up with
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
After listening to Downie's speech, I think that he has made an excellent point. As more and more of our news becomes instantly accessable through social media, people are slowly losing interest in print media. And not only that, the the fact that more money and less news in coming into play with print, we need to find a way to put an end to that.
The way our world is turning--that is to say, away from tangible media and towards online media shows the decline and even eventual (albeit VERY eventual) death of print news. More and more aspiring journalists who want to get into the business are now required to know not merely how to write a proper article, but how to write for online news sources. The Digital Age is here to stay, and the only way to survive as a journalist in these times is to go with the flow
The way our world is turning--that is to say, away from tangible media and towards online media shows the decline and even eventual (albeit VERY eventual) death of print news. More and more aspiring journalists who want to get into the business are now required to know not merely how to write a proper article, but how to write for online news sources. The Digital Age is here to stay, and the only way to survive as a journalist in these times is to go with the flow
The Future of Journalism
Leonard Downie, Jr. brought up many interesting facts about the possibilities of future journalism. I share his opinion on many of these issues, namely the ongoing progression of blogging, and interactive journalism being a threat to professional journalism. With the boom of the internet and digital media, it is questionable how many of these news companies will make a profit, being that mostly all of this information is free to the mass public. Downie did provide some interesting details of possibilities on how non- digital news can be payed for, although I am not certain what the outcome will be.
It is difficult being a college student, studying journalism, and not knowing what the future will hold after graduation. If this profession truly is dying, it's sad to think of all the people out there jobless, basically waiting for a break. With the gaining popularity of blogging both indivually and with certain news sites, it is a great start up tool to get experience. As for making it a career, well I guess that is what Leonard Downie and many others are trying to tackle. It's hard to say where the future of journalism is going.
It is difficult being a college student, studying journalism, and not knowing what the future will hold after graduation. If this profession truly is dying, it's sad to think of all the people out there jobless, basically waiting for a break. With the gaining popularity of blogging both indivually and with certain news sites, it is a great start up tool to get experience. As for making it a career, well I guess that is what Leonard Downie and many others are trying to tackle. It's hard to say where the future of journalism is going.
Reflections on Stanford University Video
I think that Mr. Downie had very good insight into the future of journalism as its future is a very complicated thing. It is no surprise, that like other things in the world, social networking, shopping, every thing is going digital. So is journalism. Yes, more and more people are getting their news from online sources such as the New York times website for big news or Perez hilton for celebrity gossip, but I have to agree with Downie's thought that online news sites will not completely erase print sources.
Many readers, older ones in particular still want a tangible piece of paper that they can read and hold in their hands, as reading the news off of computer screens often weakens eyes. Readers like these still make a big number. I was very surprised when Downie said that more people read the newspaper then watch the nightly news. I found this interesting because you would think in the technology heavy age of information that we are living in today, more people older and younger readers alike would be adapting to the new ways of getting information online. But perhaps, there still is hope for print journalism.
Mr. Downie also entertains the idea of what would happen if the news world completely went digital. He believes that online newspapers should have some kind of fee for readership to still make revenue for the paper. I believe that if newspapers were to go completely digital this might be a good idea. Newspapers are still going to have to find a way to make money and if this is a solution, I think its a pretty good one.
I am not to sure to be honest where the future of journalism is going. I agree with Downie's point that print newspapers won't go anywhere soon, but as more and more things are being converted to the online world, the future of journalism still is very unclear.
Many readers, older ones in particular still want a tangible piece of paper that they can read and hold in their hands, as reading the news off of computer screens often weakens eyes. Readers like these still make a big number. I was very surprised when Downie said that more people read the newspaper then watch the nightly news. I found this interesting because you would think in the technology heavy age of information that we are living in today, more people older and younger readers alike would be adapting to the new ways of getting information online. But perhaps, there still is hope for print journalism.
Mr. Downie also entertains the idea of what would happen if the news world completely went digital. He believes that online newspapers should have some kind of fee for readership to still make revenue for the paper. I believe that if newspapers were to go completely digital this might be a good idea. Newspapers are still going to have to find a way to make money and if this is a solution, I think its a pretty good one.
I am not to sure to be honest where the future of journalism is going. I agree with Downie's point that print newspapers won't go anywhere soon, but as more and more things are being converted to the online world, the future of journalism still is very unclear.
future of print media
As a journalism major, the future of print media is very interesting to me because it will have a direct impact on the future of my life. As someone who hopes to join the news world it is my hope that print media is able to make a come back of sorts. The main obstacle in this fight is the internet. The internet has made news readily available and free from a variety of sources. If a news organization starts to charge its online readers, the readers will likely look elsewhere for their news. Print media needs to find a way to bring in a profit so they can expand their news services and make their news a more sought after product. This profit may come from either selling more physical copies of their papers, or maybe by charging more money for their online advertisements. It may also be reasonable for small news companies to join together into one to form a larger operation and gain more funding and expand their reader base.
Another way for news papers to build credibility and a larger following with readers is to educate the readers. Readers of online blogs and websites need to be more aware of where the news is coming from. The story someone posts in a blog may have come from a factual story, but what they have posted may be skewed by their personal opinions and beliefs. Readers need to be able to pick up a paper and trust that the stories seen have been fact checked for accuracy. In the end the print media companies need to find a way to make the readers need them. They need to prove to readers that the information they cover is the best information available, and they need to offer a variety of topics to pull in different demographics.
Another way for news papers to build credibility and a larger following with readers is to educate the readers. Readers of online blogs and websites need to be more aware of where the news is coming from. The story someone posts in a blog may have come from a factual story, but what they have posted may be skewed by their personal opinions and beliefs. Readers need to be able to pick up a paper and trust that the stories seen have been fact checked for accuracy. In the end the print media companies need to find a way to make the readers need them. They need to prove to readers that the information they cover is the best information available, and they need to offer a variety of topics to pull in different demographics.
Future of Journalism
Vice President of Washington Post, Leonard Downie Jr. gave an inspirational conference at Stanford University. He examined how newspapers are losing money because it has become difficult to find buyers. He also noted that more than 100 newspapers do not deliver everyday to customers. There has been a decrease. Now, it has become easier than ever to access news of any kind through computers or phones, whether the news is coming internationally or locally. People feel that they do not need to read a newspaper, because they are getting information by other sources. Downie Jr. exclaimed that he does not believe that the newpaper industry will disappear in the future. However, there has much controversey surrounding this idea. There is a danger in journalism. Dozens of people are getting fired from their jobs now more than ever especially in the journalism field. Who knows what the future has in store. In the future of journalism, students should be more connected with their local newspapers and should write for them. There has been search of new models such as the internet in an effort to expand forms of journalism. Now a days, it seems everyone can be a journalist. People have blogs and social networking sites that allows them to put their opinions and even personal information. As for the future, we just have to wait and see what will happen. Hopefully the economy will get better and more jobs will be available. The issue that still stands however is whether or not newspapers will too. Only time will tell since the "audience for news is bigger and better than ever."
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Pros and Cons of Convergence
The convergence of media on the internet has led to an amazing informational age. News publishers are producing news 24/7 using online resources, which means more fast-paced responsibilities for copy editiors. In addition to an increase in output, copy editors will need more areas of specialization. The development of news online allows readers to search for the news that is pertinent to their interests, creating niches of focus and a need for detail-oriented editors. On a television news program, viewers are forced to watch the reports leading up to the story that they are interested in, whearas, online, viewers can search an archive of videos that relate to the news they want. More and more readers are utilizing the internet for their news needs. Future copy editors will need to focus on the instantaneous gratification that web surfers will want from their news companies, or else be washed away in the tide.
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