Newspaper Journalists and The Changing Media

The daily reports of staff layoffs at major newspapers leaves the question of whether professional journalists tied to the print media will survive in the continuing evolving digital world. One thing is certain certain, the news business will continue but may be changed beyond all past recognition.


The Past in Newspaper Publishing

The days when the Linotype operators who composed type for late breaking stories used "hot lead" and then "cold type" may have been the heydays of newspapers. However, in time the printers would be gone altogether as the digital age replaced the them. It was a gradual change and no one at the time suspected was that it would not only replace the printers, it may have been a indication that it would also replace the newsroom clatter of typewriters into the hush of world processors and finally computers and the Internet that could be the demise of the printed media.

Newspaper Journalists and a Changing World

Today's journalists are asking themselves whether media development, and the 24-hour television news cable stations, and the Internet will alter professional journalism beyond recognition. At a conference in Maryland at Philip Merrill College, hosted by the Newspaper Guild and its parent, the Communications Workers of America, the attendees were looking for answers.




The panelists at the conference discussed how today's journalists can:

Better work with management to help shape print newspapers' future?

Ensure that journalists are appropriately trained to make the transition to the digital news environment.
The reality is that reporters are now being asked to take photos and videos, file multiple versions of their stories during the day, and in their spare time, and produce blogs. How they adapt may spell out what their future in journalism foretells for them (American Journalism Review, 12/2007)

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The Effect of the New Technologies

According to Mark Deuze, a researcher at Indiana University, who has been studying the evolution of the news media in both Europe and the United States, news consumers today are "fans" with a great appetite for news and information however they also have a great appetite for sexy new technologies. That includes blogs, YouTube and whatever cool Internet tool is the latest fad.

The Future

Others think that there are answers for print journalists. Barb Palser, director of digital media for McGraw-Hill Broadcasting Co. believes that for bold strategists, the next few years could be windows of opportunity. Rewards will come to news companies that find a way to invest in true transformation while their competitors are hunkier down around the core...those companies will be in the best possible position when the economy finds it feet again. ((AJR December/January 2008)

Newspaper journalist, too, may find a rosier future by adapting to the new opportunities that come with digital news.


Author Paul Nchemba

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