What you need to know about Digital Journalism
Digital Journalism is, perhaps, twenty-five years old. It might be a bit older, maybe a bit younger, but … that’s it. Clearly, this form of journalism has a very short history. If you’ve never heard the term ”Digital Journalism” used before, you may not know what it is … you may, in fact, be scratching your head in wonder.
So … here’s the very short definition. Digital Journalism refers to news reporting and commentary that comes “directly from the Internet.” It is Journalism in the 21st Century, an information stream that exists only because there is a worldwide Internet.
In fact, Internet Journalism, along with its equally-young cousin, 24 hour Cable news programming, is altering the news and information landscape, pushing traditional forms of journalism and reporting to their collective deathbeds. It’s no secret that mainstream newspapers and network TV news programming, the longtime mainstays of journalism in America, are rapidly losing their audiences and their ability to remain viable.
Magazines, for example, a long time source of journalistic commentary, are in serious trouble because they have lead times that are too long. Most magazines are published weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly. By the time, a journalism article reaches a reader, that same news has been written about, discussed, dissected and more – repeatedly – on Internet blogs and on cable news programs, as well.
The future doesn’t appear much brighter for network television. While they file reports daily, their opinions overwhelm the news they cover. Since perception is often reality, the three major networks are considered to be too political for viewers and, as a result, can no longer be trusted to provide news reporting and journalistic commentary in a fair and unbiased way.
Sadly, the same is now true for major, mainstream newspapers. They have become so politicized that their front page news stories often include political opinions and commentary, not just a straight reporting of events. People dislike that and, the result is obvious: readership is diminishing rapidly.
Twenty-four hour news reporting on Cable TV networks has been able to fill much of the growing void left by failing mainstream news and journalism outlets, but not all of it. While cable news networks like Fox are growing rapidly and cutting into the more traditional channels of viewership and readership, their success is not limited to them alone.
Their partners in the new journalism of the 21st Century can be found online – on your personal computer screen. It is there that individual Digital Journalists work to follow and report on news stories as they happen … to engage in political commentary, reflecting all different points of view … and to create the new journalism for this century – Digital Journalism.
There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Digital Journalists working as much as seven days a week to report and comment on news and events honestly and openly … and totally. While editors at major newspapers and network TV stations have often filtered news and held back stories they didn’t want you to learn about, Digital Journalists operate ethically and hold nothing back.
When you think about it, that’s a very good thing. There can be no doubt that Digital Journalists are providing a very important public service.