1.5 The Changing Role of Contemporary Journalism

As early forms of journalism progressed from the written word to other channels of expression, the role of reporting the news has evolved as well. Only a few decades ago, one of the primary requirements for being an effective reporter was the speed at which one could accurately type words on a keyboard. While typing speed, spelling, and grammar are certainly advantageous for contemporary journalists, such abilities are not exclusive to success. If you consider the modern convenience of automated spelling- and grammar-checking, a journalist may be successful with minimal typing speed or spelling prowess.

The Speed of Information

Perhaps the biggest changes in the role of journalism in the modern digital age are centered on two factors: the speed by which information can be shared and the interactive relationship between the journalist and the audience. The speed by which news reports can be shared has increased as journalism has moved from a deliberate process of newsgathering, verification, and editing of one story at a time to an environment where the flow of information is constant and seemingly instantaneous. Reporters and news providers can pass along small portions of information without performing long-form interviews or doing extensive research. For example, journalists and news agencies often “break” big stories through a series of social media posts, parsing out bits of information along the way. Using Twitter, a story may go public as follows:

The above scenario may not have developed into a major story, but it could have. Reporters and news providers always run the risk of being wrong in their assumptions that are based on witness accounts and, in this case, first responder radio scanner traffic. Even so, the free flow of information, even incomplete information, may develop into something of major interest to the public. Besides listening to police dispatch radio traffic, reporters also monitor and rely on social media for information from official agencies or eyewitnesses. This interactive aspect contributes to the rapid flow of information through a two-way, nonlinear flow of information.

Another shift in journalism is the personalization of information, along with the contemporary trend of “influencers.” An influencer shares a lot of common skills with mainstream reporters, such as gathering information, demonstration, presentation, on-camera skills, writing skills, and using evidence to back up their reports. The main difference between the two types of “journalists” lies in their motivation and perceived objectivity. While a reporter may seek to inform based on the public’s want or need to know, the influencer is paid to report information on behalf of product sponsors.

Similar to influencers, some mainstream news providers have accepted money from marketing firms to run content that appears to be a news story but is really an advertisement. This practice is referred to as native advertising. In print or online formats, native ads are presented like any mainstream news story, complete with a headline, dateline, and sometimes a byline (attribution to an author). In video form, these ads may feature an anchor and a reporter, presenting product information as elements of a news report. Somewhere among the printed content or on-screen graphics is a small-print disclaimer admitting that the content is an advertisement. For the gullible or unsuspecting news consumer, such phony reports may be clever enough to grab attention or gain some traffic, but these “infomercials” may also add to viewer mistrust or confusion.

Another modern journalistic trend is the audio (and sometimes video) podcast, along with a new kind of reporter known as a “podcaster.” The podcast functions like a television or radio talk show, usually with a single host, a pair of hosts, or a panel of hosts. These long-form programs feature guests who appear at the host’s studio or via phone or video conferencing call. The hosts may present facts backed up by evidence as any news program would do, with an added emphasis on discussion. In most podcasts, discussions may center around a single issue, investigation, sports team or league, or political action. Podcasts are also marketed as free content to all, sometimes with premium content available to paying subscribers. Additionally, mainstream journalists are often expected to use podcasts as a tool to market their content. Major news organizations are also repurposing their video content through audio recordings of television reports. For example, the NBC newsmagazine Dateline is also available as an audio podcast.

The Changing Relationship between the Audience and News Providers

One particular aspect of new media that is changing the relationship between journalists and audience members is ongoing, back-and-forth commentary. Audience members may interact with each other, and journalists may also interact directly with audience members through social media or commentary sections of online content. Sometimes the feedback is positive, but it is more often negative and abusive in nature. Such interaction can affect how journalists see themselves and their audience, for good or bad.

Another trend is the rise of independent (freelance) journalists who embed themselves within major conflicts such as riots, natural disasters, and militant movements. Armed with portable recording devices (often smartphones), these individuals provide images and recordings of dangerous and hostile conflicts from within the action, often placing themselves at extreme risk for injury or death. This new kind of journalism offers an inside view of these events that can be shared live through social media or recordings that may be sold to the highest bidder among major news providers. Beyond capitalistic opportunism, operatives working for political organizations may embed themselves among peers to enhance their mission or influence public opinion toward the “other side.”

The Shifting Environment of News Media

The shift from traditional news delivery formats such as print or broadcast toward the digital landscape is continuously evolving as news agencies adjust to audience behavior and sustainable business models.

When news providers could rely on advertising money exclusively, the news industry was booming, and journalists could make a decent living. Since the late 20th century, the free flow of information enabled by the internet and other digital formats has resulted in a more segmented audience that expects news information on demand and free of charge. As this new environment expands, news providers have been forced to scale back on news staff, while coming up with creative means to monetize their content without advertising revenue. Some agencies have required online subscription to their content, but even at the height of news industry prominence, subscriptions were only a small part of the overall revenue, so the paywall, in most cases, does not compensate for lost advertising money.

This continuously changing news landscape has also affected news coverage, especially with respect to accuracy, context, depth, and objectivity. As a result, audiences may become less informed or less likely to see events and issues from other angles. As such, the responsibility of being media savvy about news topics or events often falls upon individuals rather than trusted news providers.