25 Big Questions for the Future of Journalism and PR

I'll take a stab at #19. First, we have to remember that blogging is essentially a delivery mechanism for whatever the author wants to produce. There are plenty of blogs that hold themselves to high standards of truth and ethical reporting — some more than some newspapers I've read. So the short answer to that question is Yes, the blogosphere will adhere to the same standards as professional journalists. The long answer is still yes, but only so far as bloggers consider themselves journalists, or want to be considered journalists.

Your average cat blogger doesn't care about objectivity in their reporting, and neither do their readers. Personal journal-style bloggers also aren't as concerned with it, because they are simply chronicling their own lives and opinions. Political bloggers, on the other hand, should be VERY concerned about truth in their reporting, if for no other reason than the fact that a false statement brings their credibility into question — and not only their own credibility, but also the credibility of “their side” in the debate. Religion bloggers also are very concerned with truth and accuracy in reporting, but aren't as concerned about objectivity. They're (I guess I should just say “We're” and be honest) advocating a position, and aren't concerned about presenting all other opinions in an equal light. But as more bloggers focus on reporting news, they will need to concern themselves with journalistic standards; otherwise, they won't be taken seriously.

7. No, I do not think that the blogshpere is an adequate substitute for journalism. I think it is a great way to connect people and share thoughts and opinions, but I feel that something is lacking in blogging. There is a stereotype that blogs are not accurate or based on hard facts, whereas I feel the stereotype is that people often believe what they see in print. I feel that there is legitimacy to print papers because they have been around so long and they have a reputation for being a reliable source for news. And I think because blogs are so new, not all people are so trusting of them.

I think it is important for the newspaper industry to focus on their online content vs. their print content. Many people refer to the internet for their daily news update. It is much easier to update breaking news online (e.g., Michael Jackson death). It is also important for newspapers to continue to fact check their stories and pieces, because as many people commented, the public may begin to doubt everything they read. However, the online content of a newspaper allows for both objectivity and subjectivity. The public can comment and write about what they just read, which is desirable for many. Another vital matter that concerns newspapers is the need to be environmentally friendly. If a newspaper puts most of its focus into its online content then it can provide a more updated and eco-friendly solution for providing its news.

I think it is important for the newspaper industry to focus on their online content vs. their print content. Many people refer to the internet for their daily news update. It is much easier to update breaking news online (e.g., Michael Jackson death). It is also important for newspapers to continue to fact check their stories and pieces, because as many people commented, the public may begin to doubt everything they read. However, the online content of a newspaper allows for both objectivity and subjectivity. The public can comment and write about what they just read, which is desirable for many. Another vital matter that concerns newspapers is the need to be environmentally friendly. If a newspaper puts most of its focus into its online content then it can provide a more updated and eco-friendly solution for providing its news.

#7- Blogs are an excellent resource, but should not replace journalism because there are certain facts that are lacking or may be highly opinionated from someone who may not be a professional.

#25- I believe that people like seeing the news reported. Technology is always changing and something new may take over TV news programs.

No. 6) Given what has happened to newspapers in ‘08 and ‘09, what skills do you wish you had further developed?

Since coming to college my writing skills have improved immensely. Through journalism and creative writing classes I have learned different styles of writing. I have provided more vivid examples in my writing, learning to describe things more thoroughly which I believe has lead to more reader-friendly articles.

However, there are many more things I wish to learn before going out into the real world. I am very inexperienced in shooting and editing video. How, you might ask have I not learned how to do such things as a modern-day journalism major? No one has taught me and only this past semester did I take it upon myself in another class to start delving into the video world. I have a Mac computer which has the IMovie program. I know how to shoot videos with the program, but have struggled with the editing portion and including voiceovers. My goal is to have voiceovers with still and/or video running at the same time.

Does anyone know how to do this?

My main concerns are becoming more tech savvy and diversifying myself. Employers are no longer looking for just journalists. More and more journalists are being asked to blog with video and audio. I just know I want to be prepared to translate news to viewers or readers in as many ways as possible and give them that “WOW” factor.

Your thoughts?

My response is to question #7:

Blogs, or in proper AP style “weblogs”, are not a good substitution for traditional journalism for a number of reasons. I feel as if attention to detail, grammar and AP Style would be lacking with blogs just because of its informal nature. Blogging seems like a good supplement to the world of journalism, but not a complete substitute.

Also, anyone can blog. Although you would eventually be able to tell if someone had a journalism background by reading their content, it would become annoying to read through unprofessional blogs in search of a good one if they were the only news outlet.

Blogs are meant to be a personal opinion of a news story. What you first need is a news story. That is, something to have an opinion on, but first there needs to be a story with reputable facts and undoubtedly some interviews. Blogging, therefore, belongs in the background.

meghanschelzi,

I couldn't agree more. I do think that blogs are a nice way for people to communicate and share their ideas, but you can't always trust them. The same holds true for newspapers, however. You earn credibility over time with great reporting that digs beneath the surface. Most newspapers have good credibility over years of experience. Blogs are relatively new to the world. Some blogs are quite credible, while others are lackluster to say the least. In this ever-growing Internet world it is your job as the reader to differentiate between well researched hard news, and the strongly opinionated blogs that exist today.

This kind of goes along with what I said, in the fact that blogging is a supplement. I consider the people's comments to news stories online to be a form of blogging. When I think of the word blog I think of an opinionated piece about a news issue. I would never want to get all of my news from a blog because I wouldn't feel it to be credible.

Great point about the updates. With the modern population's need for constant news updates and the growing popularity of Internet on almost every device it is important to have updates at the push of a button (or touch of a screen).

21: The reason why newspapers are struggling to generate print ad revenue is because print newspapers are in decline. This doesn't mean though that people aren't still relying on the particular newspaper, they're just going to the online version instead. Because of this, advertisers may transfer their ads from print to online since the readers are transferring to online. Therefore, newspapers should be fine generating online ad revenue.

23. Colleges and Universities should definitely still offer degree programs in print journalism because it offers the basics to all other forms of journalism. Without the foundation set by the things we learn in print journalism (such as editing, story development and research tools), the articles online through either online newspapers or blogs will not be as well written. And even though the newspaper industry is declining, there are still newspapers around who will need employees down the road. In addition, the magazine industry is still doing relatively well. Yet, we do need to acknowledge the shift in how people get their news, and therefore it is important to incorporate classes on new media and how to utilize it.

Greetings to the the SUNY Oswego students who have joined this conversation — if somebody will reach out to me via email or Twitter, we could schedule a live Twitter chat on this topic during class one day soon.

Let me know!

In reference to 25: I agree that something may take over TV news programs but it might just be that people go online instead to watch reporters. Any major TV news station has their own web Site with clips from their broadcasts so people can just watch that in case they miss the news. This might just become the norm and eventually, entire broadcast will be uploaded instead and watched at 6:00 instead of people turning on the TV. Granted, I think this might be a while before this happens since there's still something to turning on the TV for the 6 or 11 o'clock news before dinner or going to bed.

Question 5: Well, if every single one closed tomorrow, I would initially be pretty disheartened with the cold reality that I would never be able to be a part of that experience. But other than the disappointment that would come with this kind of news, I really wouldn’t be too concerned. There seems to be a popular theory going around that the art of journalism will follow print media to the grave, but I staunchly disagree with this notion. Journalists will always be needed. While print could very possibly go by the wayside, it doesn’t mean the role of the journalist will be diminished in any way. News, events, and everything else worth writing about won’t ever change, and there will always be a need for someone to cover it. It may not be in print, but whether it will be online, broadcasted, or whatever form it may be transmitted, it will still take a skilled journalist to cover it. So if newsroom’s really were closed for good, while it certainly wouldn’t be a good omen for print, I don’t think it would really have any profound effect on journalists.

10) The notion that objectivity is becoming outdated is an extremely disturbing view in my eyes. Objectivity is the pillar of journalism; if it slowly dissipates from our major news sources, then what we're essentially left with is a world full of blogs and ill-researched “facts.” We need an objective eye to display what's going on in the world, from both sides. Anyone can put their own little spin on events, exaggerating certain aspects of what occurred and trivializing others. But a subjective view, in my eyes, can't be taken as a purely factual account to what has happened. We need objectivity as a stabilizer in an increasingly diverse political, social and economic scene. Where companies are pandering to younger markets, Democrats are engaged in political battles with Republicans, there must be an objective source to state what is factual and can be believed as true to everyone, not just one side or the other.

See, I read this question a little differently. I thought they were talking about ALL newsrooms closing for good, including TV and radio news as well. But, I do agree with your original point that journalists are a necessity. There is just no substitute for an objective source who is trained in reporting, interviewing and finding story ideas to serve the public capacity. While bloggers may add to the conversation in their own way and present different sides to the story, we need trained journalists to keep public figures and institutions in check and make sure the public is kept up to date on the latest happenings.

It's entirely possible I misread this question. And for the sake of debate, let's just say I did. Either way, I really don't see how closing down the place where journalists and news reporters meet and lounge around would actually impact the art of journalism. We live in a digital age, we can transfer messages, data, just about anything through email. We can hold meetings through our computers. Frankly, there really isn't anything that probably occurs in a newsroom that we can't do with a computer from our own beds. While the closure of all newsrooms would certainly be a hit to the rich history of journalism, it wouldn't really affect the way news is reported or served to the general public. At least that's the way I see it.

#2: I think the sense of touch within the news is something that we, as a country (or as a planet, really) had grown so accustomed to, and now it's something that has become rather antiquated. It would seem that now that everything is so easily accessible, no one longs for the collective experience of ingesting their daily dose of the media: in this case, what's palpable. So, ostensibly, as long as we have our sense of vision (or auditory senses where TV/Radio is concerned), no one longs for the feeling of the paper. But that seems to be the way the preponderance of America was headed anyway, how many people will sit down and invest time in reading a book when they can just watch the movie (possibly on their iPhones), get it over with in a matter of a couple hours at best and still have time to take a nap?

12: I think the decline of newspapers matters, and not just in a nostalgic sense. It would seem that the days of a spouse coming home from work and reading the paper while their significant other cooks the evening meal are long gone. (Notice how I didn't assign sexes to that scenario; take THAT irascible feminists!) Anyone living in the city will tell you that the subway is really a mobile library where people read the paper. Who really wants to lug a laptop all over the place and risk spilling coffee on it when you can just buy the paper for 50 cents and have it right there? I don't think newspapers will ever fade away completely; I think that they're just having trouble keeping up with the current trends that are getting better and better with increasing rapidity.

I more than agree, and I think your response to this question is so well elucidated that adding to it any further would essentially be beating a dead horse. But I had to reply to SOMEONE, so…here goes. The problem is you can't please all the people all the time, and it would seem that if you have both sides of the political spectrum, it's just as indicative of objective journalism as if neither side had any qualms. And the only medium that subjectivity is acceptable is the arts; when a certain product's value is assessed according to one's own interpretation and personal thoughts or predilections. So, in other words, I agree!

Both sides of the political spectrum complaining about biases* There, that should clear up any confusion, sorry about that.

#7: Is the blogosphere an adequate substitute for journalism?

Well, it is true that newspapers are facing serious problems and a decline due to the increase of technology and the Internet, but I do not think newspapers will be completely wiped out..at least I hope not! I feel blogs are turning into a substitute for journalism, but I'm not sure if it is the right substitute because how credible or trustworthy is a blog compared to a news story say in the New York Times? Blogs are a way for people to express their opinions or give expertise on a topic or issue which is great, but do writer's of blogs go out and ask the hard questions and get answers to questions everyone is looking for or interested in like journalists do? I do not believe blogs are an adequate substitute for journalism because they are too informal and it is hard for readers to trust a blogger over an educated news writer/reporter.

I am feeling the same way about wanting to become more tech savvy. I am a PR major with a journalism minor and I am very interested in learning how to incorporate video and audio into my future work. I agree employers are looking for more than just excellent writing skills. Therefore, I wish we were taught these tech skills earlier in our undergrad education — I think all Communication department students would benefit from it.

In response to Question 19:

It will be difficult if not impossible to make sure the blogosphere adheres to the standard ethics of journalism. You can't expect an idependent party to follow specific rules pertaining to blogging, especially if there's no way to punish them. What would you do, shut down their blog? If you do that, they'll have a new one up and running the next day if not the next hour. The world of blogging is an anarchic one. It's great that the average person now has a forum to voice their opinion on any topic imaginable, but since they don't have to follow any sort of ethics, their credibility will always be suspect, which is too bad because there are plenty of honest blogs out there, but it's not easy to differentiate them from the masses.

I agree. There are too many bloggers who are just blogging for the sake of blogging. Too many of them are just pointless rants, that have no basis in fact. They don't care if people think they're credible or not. They just want people to know that they exist. Since saying measured, rational things doesn't get you nearly as much attention, some bloggers need to make big, grandiose, and often ridiculous statements in order to gain some kind of notoriety. It's a disturbing trend.

3.) Having journalists work from home wouldn't be nearly as productive and the quality of the newspaper would not be as reliable. Yes, journalists would still be doing the work, but they wouldn't have access to the resources that are available within the news office. News offices have multiple resources that most do not keep at their personal home or office. They also wouldn't have access to other reporters' ideas, angles, and information from previous articles. Other reporters have important contacts that you may not have and they may have information that could relate to your story that you have no way of accessing any other way. Other reporters also have the same mindset as you because they have gone through the same training. If you work from home, you won't be able to bounce ideas off each other as easily and it will be much more difficult to formulate new angles for a fresh story.