I'm convinced that journalists are all optimists or they don't really understand the profession they are getting into. At least that was my take away from the reading.
The reading seemed to paint a bleak picture of the news industry, but new media is the most galvanizing part about the journalism field, not to mention all the transferable skills. With the proliferation of media sources because of the internet, it seems that young students and recent graduates have a leg up in the industry because, as the book mentions, we have skills that many older people in the industry may not––graphic and video skills, as well as social media acumen.
I believe that younger generations are still connected to the news, just in a different way. The internet and other "consolidated" forms of media can be very profitable with the amount of money news sources stand to make through advertising on their webpages when they get a high amount of traffic. The book was absolutely right by making the assertion that young people don't watch news on television anymore. There is a plethora of reasons for this, and one I encountered as an avid social media user during the outrage in Ferguson, MO. I have encountered numerous young people express their disdain for major news sources like CNN and MSNBC because of their obstructed news coverage, many claiming that social media websites have become some of the most credible sources for our news.
Younger news watchers have become leery of the traditional news correspondence, and are turning online to seek out news that is raw and untainted. Even though media has become so fragmented, it would seem that there would be profitability in "real time" news coverage online that appeals to a younger audience.
I think another reason young people don't watch a lot of TV news anymore is because we tend to be glued to our phones. It's much quicker and easier to get news from an app than having to devote time to sit down and watch news programs on TV. I personally use the AP mobile app. I like that I can look at whatever local news I want and they draw their stories from multiple news sources in addition to having stories written by AP. It's also easier to pick and choose what types of news I want to read and not have to wait until the story I want to hear is talked about on the news segment.
ReplyDeleteChris, another word for "raw and untainted" can be "rumor." Or even "propaganda." A tweet directing people to a supposedly safe area may in fact lead them into a dangerous trap.
ReplyDeleteLindsey, quite true that smaller screens are replacing TV as news delivery platforms.
And one thing about the doomsday bow-bows expressed by the authors you're reading: many of these guys are nostalgic for the golden age of newspapers, which we all is giving way to new models.