Journalism in the Digital Age
In this fast-paced world, technological advancements are exploding exponentially. Technology has almost become a way of life and is influencing many changes in industries. One of which is Journalism. Journalism is accumulating, processing and the circulation of news and information to an audience (public); using mediums such as the radio, newspaper, television and the internet. The internet further branches out to social media platforms and even mobile applications. In comparison to before, the TV, radio & newspaper mediums are observing a decline in consumption. People rather consume news via the internet. Why so? People expect up- to-the-minute updates. They enjoy instant access to information on social media
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First, the basics which even journalists in the past had to acquire. A good journalist must first be a good writer. A good command of language is definitely significant. He or she must have a good vocabulary. Being knowledgeable is a must and this means that he/she must know everything and anything. Therefore, he/she must also be one who reads. Journalists have to be very observant and alert at all times; for they cannot afford to miss out any piece of information or news.
A journalist needs to have an eye for detail and accuracy. There is no room for errors in news; all information must be factual. In journalism, velocity is as imperative as accuracy. Being able to write a good story in a day is excellent but there will be times when they are required to write within a deadline of half an hour for example.
Journalists have to practice fairness when reporting a story. If the story has a conflict, there should always be two sides to it from both parties. Favoritism towards one party will not be condoned.
Journalists are usually passionate individuals who are enthusiastic to get the latest
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There are implications for them; such as pressure to get online. Social media sites such as ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter’ are examples of platforms for online journalism. They captivate the attention and interest of the audience (public) unlike traditional media news providers. Therefore, an example of a business implication would be Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) feeling pressurized to get online.
The next problem for traditional media owners is the shrinking audience size. With the presence of online journalism which people enjoy; lesser people are reading newspapers and watching television for news updates.
Another problem faced by traditional media news providers are the ever changing business models.
What can news providers do to curb these problems and tackle these challenges? The first way is to put context online, to reach the audience (public). This way, people will be intrigued and will pay attention to what they have to offer. The second way is enhancing news quality in multimedia context. Ensuring sources are reliable is also significant. Lastly, adopting a workable business model. These are some of the interventions that can be put in place by media owners to stay on top of the situation and gain the attention of audience