Unit 3, Issue 10

Will Evolving Forms of Journalism Be an Improvement?

For the first time I fully understood and saw the opposing points defend their answer with a firm response. Although I did feel they only had one defense, we read Deuze, Bruns, and Neuberger, they all had creditable case studies that were made to promote their "yes". They focused their answer on saying that news should be presented in a way where it reaches out to the community, and more specifically the newer and younger generations who aren't picking up a newspaper anymore. They want to reach out in a way where there is involvement from the people and hear their opinions, of course with the foundation of factual information from professionals. I did agree with them pointing out that now the internet, being one of the main sources for news and accurate information, is given out free, because so many people use it. I think one of the main reasons younger people turn to the internet for news is because, one they don't have to pay, and two the information takes seconds to load up. 

Now turning to the testimony of David Simon...speechless. I felt like he defended his answer (no) with such affirmation and belief in what he stood for. At the end he had me convinced that the new/evolving forms of journalism weren't an improvement but instead the destruction of careers, newspapers, lifestyles in dedication to journalism, complex in depth reporting, etc. He states "...post-modern rallying cry that information want to be free. But information isn't free" (pg. 222). The expenses of getting to the core of news is so commonly bypassed because we simply have it at a click of a button. And for that same reason, ANYONE can voice their OPINION and portray it as a fact.

As a college student, its hard for me to take a side when i should be first in line to say i look up news online on a day to day basis, but pick up a newspaper twice a year if a lot. But to think of all the hard work and dedication people placed into becoming great journalist thirty years ago makes me wonder how many talents are going unseen or covered by the louder voice of someone else; a louder voice that isn't necessarily stronger.