Roll with the Punches
November 29, 2009The readings for this week were very insightful regarding the future of journalism. I have blogged about this topic before since I am a Journalism major and that future is very up in the air for me right now. The first bit I would like to reflect upon is from the second reading. First, the fact that the new media era is generational brings up a very good point. Usually parents are the one’s who know the most and teach their children what they know about their everyday normal activities. Well, now email, Twitter, Facebook, are everyday activities and most parents are being taught by their own children. I know from experience. Just last night I was sitting in my computer room at my parent’s house with my dad and he just had to ask me “teach me how to do Facebook, Natalie.” It seems so weird because it is something I do everyday but it is so new to him, my dad, the one who has taught me about everything else in life. The generations are backwards when it comes to the new media era, the youth is learning about things first and teaching their parents. I would like to note, however, that this is not always the case. My grandmother is a Facebook pro, and she has taught my dad some things. I think that it all depends on a person’s desire to learn and keep up with new technology and their ability to accept the massive changes that have taken place since their childhood.
I really enjoyed the third article because it refutes the common misconception that journalism is dead. I already said before that I have blogged about this, but it is something I truly believe. Journalism isn’t dead, it is just not the traditional journalism we think of anymore. The last part of the article is so true in my mind. Social media is the way back to the audience. Journalism can die, but only if the journalists themselves let it. They are so opposed and defeated when the audience no longer cares about the tradition the way they used to. But what journalists need to do is roll with the punches, and get back on the good side of the readers, appeal to them once more. This article, says just that, I am glad I am not the only one thinking that. It scares me when people feel defeated about journalism. It is refreshing when people are positive about the future and about being proactive for journalism to regain it’s footing in the minds of society.
I read this as well as your “Journalism is not dying” post and I agree with both. It makes me think of the original journalists who literally wrote in journals and passed them along to others/published them. That sounds a lot like blogging to me! Journalism has transformed a lot throughout history, and this transition from print to the internet is just the next stage in that. So newspapers are dying. So what? People will still demand their information in a timely, informative, and interesting manner. The spirit of journalism will never die.