Journalism is Waning...

I also came across an opinion piece earlier today that discussed how journalism is declining because people do not value true journalistic reporting today as much as they did in the past. The writer, Michael Gerson, argues that people do not want real news, so therefore cable networks and many bloggers give people watered down versions of the news. As Gerson puts it, "Makeup is cheaper for guests than actual reporting."

He also raises an important issue that I feel is worth noting. While independent media is definitely on the rise and is a fantastic and necessary counterpart to mainstream journalism, it does, for the most part, lack something the mainstream press has: Money. While an indy news outlet can bring down government officials and expose wrongdoing here in the U.S., most do not have the finances to send a reporter into a war zone or overseas to cover a crisis. While there's much to be said about the quality of mainstream reporting from a war zone, the fact still remains, in my opinion, that any reporting is better than no reporting at all. An independent blogger with his or her own Web site probably doesn't have the money to cover a story like those, so for that reason mainstream reporters still have a necessary place in the world, despite the turn towards Internet journalism.

The Nation: How to Save Journalism

Earlier this week, an article appeared in "The Nation" titled "How to Save Journalism." In the story, the writers discuss an upcoming Federal Trade Commission hearing to address the downsizing of newsrooms nationwide and brainstorm policy measures that could end this decline. The entire article paints a dreary picture of the state of journalism - unjustly so, in my opinion.

It is obviously true that newsrooms at local newspapers and television stations have been forced to cut back in recent years. The FTC places much of the blame for these cuts on the rise of the Internet, an idea the writers of this article correctly dispel. While the Internet certainly hasn't helped most local newspapers to thrive, most of the problems they are facing began well before the Internet told hold on people.

The writers also discuss how government policies need to be enacted in order to "save" journalism. Here is where I disagree with the writers. They argue that journalism should act as the fourth estate and watch over the government. Therefore, they reason, the government should implement policies to help this estate keep watch over the other branches of government. In my opinion, however, it is not the government's responsibility to "save" journalism. It is the responsibility of journalists to adapt to our changing world and ensure that journalism never dies. Additionally, if a government agency stepped in to save, for instance, a local paper, would that local paper print highly unfavorable information afterwards? Probably not, which destroys the purpose of journalism - to keep government in check.

I also had one other final question: Who says journalism is dying? Sure, traditional print media may be declining, but online, independent journalism is thriving. The world needs journalism and it will never die out; it will evolve and change, which is what independent journalism has done when compared against the traditional media.

Arianna Huffington Comes to Ithaca!

Tonight, Arianna Huffington spoke in Emerson Suites at Ithaca College. The co-founder of the Huffington Post gave her thoughts on the state of journalism and new media. One of the first points she made about the strengths of independent media is its tendency to present more than just the fact. Whereas many newspapers adhere to a strict inverted pyramid style, indy media sites aren't afraid to present news in other ways, such as with satire, video or dramatic flair.

She also applauded our continuously developing linked economy. She called it a "cause for celebration." Consumers of traditional media are passive, often picking up a newspaper and merely glancing at headlines or simply filling time. Independent media users, however, are active participants who follow links, investigate topics further, donate to causes, organize themselves around a political candidate or movement, or even donate to the reporting itself. "You consume new media galloping on a horse," she said.

Huffington also shared her thoughts on the decline of the print media. It was very refreshing to hear her shift the discussion from the future of newspapers to the future of journalism itself. While newspapers may be declining, what's more troubling for me as an aspiring journalist has been the subsequent decline of things like investigative reporting. Furthermore, as Huffington said, print media can never die out. Magazines, for instances, are popular with people heading to the beach, on a flight, or looking for a specific topic.

I think Huffington's strongest point came when she said the discussion is not about new versus old media, but instead about today's media versus yesterday's media. Regardless of their primary form of publication, all forms of media need an online footprint. Newspapers, magazines and broadcast stations all need to have a strong web presence that offers something their print or broadcast product cannot.

For more on Arianna Huffington, I recommend reading some of her blog posts on HuffPost. Her speech was great and I'm definitely glad I got to hear her speak here on campus.