Comments on: 25 Big Questions for the Future of Journalism and PR http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/ Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:57:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Samantha Shelton http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-3/#comment-1521 Samantha Shelton Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:37:13 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1521 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. 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.

]]> By: aaronhammond http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-3/#comment-1520 aaronhammond Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:48:14 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1520 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. 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.

]]> By: aaronhammond http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-3/#comment-1519 aaronhammond Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:41:15 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1519 In response to Question 19: <br><br>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. 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.

]]> By: stephaniebliss http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1518 stephaniebliss Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:46:38 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1518 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. 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.

]]> By: stephaniebliss http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1517 stephaniebliss Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:36:39 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1517 #7: Is the blogosphere an adequate substitute for journalism?<br><br>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. #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.

]]> By: Al Amendolare http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1516 Al Amendolare Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:26:03 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1516 Both sides of the political spectrum complaining about biases* There, that should clear up any confusion, sorry about that. Both sides of the political spectrum complaining about biases* There, that should clear up any confusion, sorry about that.

]]> By: Al Amendolare http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1515 Al Amendolare Tue, 02 Feb 2010 09:01:55 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1515 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! 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!

]]> By: alamendolare http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1514 alamendolare Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:41:09 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1514 #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?<br><br>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. #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.

]]> By: kyle_gargan http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1513 kyle_gargan Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:12:26 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1513 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. 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.

]]> By: Analytical essay on online journalism at Digital Journalism http://mediaemerging.com/2009/04/03/25-questions-for-journalism-and-pr/comment-page-2/#comment-1512 Analytical essay on online journalism at Digital Journalism Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:25:04 +0000 http://mediaemerging.com/?p=968#comment-1512 [...] analysis of the three online stories, and (3) class lectures, pick two questions from “25 big questions for the future of journalism and PR” and answer them accordingly. Please make sure that you have the original questions [...] [...] analysis of the three online stories, and (3) class lectures, pick two questions from “25 big questions for the future of journalism and PR” and answer them accordingly. Please make sure that you have the original questions [...]

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