The Obsolete Journalist

There is no doubt the Internet is a beast of technology the likes of which our society has never encountered before. Giving global citizens the power to spread information across the world in real time has changed the way we consume news and information. In return, legacy media have been forced to submit control of the flow of information, sharing the responsibility with the blogosphere. Calls from those occupying formerly important gate keeping roles have looked to label the Internet as a bastardized free wheeling quagmire of tangled information that devalues news, journalism and communication through its very existence. Fear of the beast, however, does not mean the creature cannot be tamed.

It seems silly to think that stalwarts in the legacy news media continue to be scared stiff of a technology that can potentially expand their readership. Yet, pieces like Marc Fisher’s “Essential Again” chronicling the “renewed” need for journalists following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, demonstrate the blind eye and ignorance towards the potential of the Internet to help journalists. Journalists seem steadfast in their need to continually assure themselves that they are still necessary in an increasingly digital society. Even those who are of the elite class of news reporters address the issue, as Judy Woodruff spoke at the University of Notre Dame asking the question: “Are Journalists Obsolete?”

This constant banter borders on the narcissistic when examined from outside the established news culture. To all journalists out there: YOU ARE NOT OBSOLETE. The only outdated element of journalism may be the definition itself. We are in a time of great change and opportunity where the classic skills of the journalist, writing, research, and news sense, are of the utmost importance. The Internet is begging for people to solve the puzzle of how to provide accurate, important, consumable news amidst the chaos.

Instead of harboring malcontent, entrenched legacy journalists and students alike need to embrace and employ the utilities of the Internet. Why does a journalist have to report for a paper or a television station? Put simply, they do not. Yahoo.com’s news now features original reporting that offers a different dynamic than print or television for both the audience and the reporter. People trying to tackle the world of original online reporting need to not only understand how to disseminate information for the web, but also basic journalistic skills. Those who possess both skill sets will be at a premium for media conglomerates as they can work in print, television, online or all three. This versatility will be extremely useful in expanding journalists’ opportunities in the job market.
Common gripes among legacy journalists towards the news online include the lifting of news organization stories to place on blogs, the unmanageable mountain of information, and just plain bad writing. Rather than complain and criticize, it seems journalists, who have the skills and resources to remedy these complaints, should put their feelings into action. Instead of letting the medium exploit you, exercise your power to change it.

In his “Laptop Brigade”, James Walcott addresses the “danger of drowning in blogorrhea…”. With the exponential growth of the blogosphere in recent times, this theory holds a certain weight. However, with search tools like Google becoming more sophisticated, the likelihood that the average user will ever encounter sites on the Internet is very small. Users tend to visit the same group of sites for the majority of their surfing. When they decide to venture outside this comfort zone, a search engine such as Google automatically filters the most relevant sites to the top of the heap (generally). Therefore, when people search certain terms they are directed to the same sites, building the online relevance of the sites with the best application. Obscure blogs and sites that do not carry societal weight are found only those who actively seek them out. Otherwise, they tend to go unnoticed and have little effect on the online experience of the majority of users.

Blogs that are able to rise above the squalor do carry some sort of societal or cultural significance, even if that significance is the relentless following of celebrity antics. Even so, the majority of these blogs are nothing more than annotated aggregating systems that give users a quick outline of a story then link to deeper information on other sites. In this mold, blogs themselves will never overtake established news outlets as sources for information. If anything, they will help to point people to these outlets for more in depth coverage.

At the same time, legacy media should understand that blogging is not beneath them. A blog such as Engadget could very easily be maintained by a legacy news medium through their web presence in a technology section. Newspapers especially are predisposed for such a structure of reporting. Most, if not all, newspapers are put together in sections. Blogs for each section could easily be setup and maintained, with the links connecting directly back to the paper’s site itself. This would be an easy system of self promotion.

In the end, the future of the Internet and journalism lie solely in education at both ends of the spectrum. As consumers, people need to be educated in the basic workings of the Internet and how to avoid the mush pile that is inherent with the medium. More importantly, however, the journalists need to expand their education into the medium of the internet. Understanding how to write and report for an online audience are necessary skills for a journalist as the landscape continues to change.

Journalists who continue to view the Internet as the enemy will soon be swept up by the surging current. Rather, those who choose to adapt and embrace the utility of the technology will hold a marked advantage. Journalists who continue to question their necessity in society are choosing to not see the expansion of their profession. If they do not feel the need to embrace the new role they are being afforded, undoubtedly someone will.