Fear Not; A Promising Career Lies Ahead for Journalists

By Taylor Brim on January 24, 2013

I distinctly remember the way someone would wince whenever I told them I was going to major in journalism. The look was similar to stepping on a rock with a sock on, a minute pain worth only of a grimace. Some took it upon them to inform me of my wrongdoing; I can see them now, standing with a Bible-like book in their hands containing all of the necessary knowledge to life, as they flung it above their head and bellowed, “Don’t you know that journalism is a dying, hopeless career! Repent now!” But perhaps more disheartening than the ominous warnings of those who claimed to know society well were the empty smiles and monotonous nodding of heads as if saying, “God bless her foolish heart.”

Holding onto the childlike faith in my dreams, I enrolled myself as a journalism major two years ago. I armed myself with a pencil (or perhaps more fitting, a keyboard), preparing myself to take on a world that dismissed journalists. All I knew was the passion in my heart was aimed at writing, which I intended to fully follow.

After two years and many painful looks, I am here to encourage fellow journalists: Fear not! A new era of progressive journalism has just arrived. That’s right, it is indeed a good time to be a writer. All of those lectures from elderly naysayers, the looks of “Oh jeez, he’s one of those”, are not for vain.

The above paragraphs are an example of “New Journalism”, a phrase coined in the late 60′s¹ to describe a style of news writing that utilizes literary techniques. New journalism was an attempt to capture a moment in time as opposed to the traditional Who, What, When, Where, and Why structure that is still taught in introductory journalism courses. New journalism was a revolution, spearheaded and criticized alike by great authors and journalists, using vivid imagery and expressive dialogue to tell a reader the facts. New journalism painted pictures for the reader and it was here to stay.

There is a movement, much like the one described above, that intends to bring life to an allegedly dying career. Technology is often acquitted with journalism’s impending doom; the Internet has undoubtedly bruised the industry of print journalism, causing news organizations to downsize and rely on citizen journalism for breaking headlines. However, we live in a time where technology is becoming vastly available to seemingly everyone- from the 75-year-old grandmother and the small child in elementary school. The emergence of personalized technology has increased the demand for instaneaous information. People, now so more than ever, want to read and want to be informed because it is easy. Before, staying informed meant leaving the comfort of a home to buy a newspaper or spend a painful hour watching the talking heads on your television screen. Now, with the simple touch of your index finger, you can access information at your convenience.

This is no time for journalists to be switching their career choice for fear of economic repercussions. Bill Kovach tells young journalists in his article published on Nieman Reports that the age of journalism gatekeeping, an era defined by allowing facts to flow through by only adding details to story, has died thus creating a need for an army of “authenticators”. The continous flow of information can be false; as journalists, we must construct reports that the public can trust to be true, as we become (in Kovach’s words) “referees” for the free flow of information.

A hopeful future lies ahead for those with eager hands to write and report. This movement, as Kovach points out, does require a radical change in the culture of mass communication. News organizations need to reflect honesty, integrity, independence, and timelines to our society’s changing culture. As he so dutifully states in the closing of his article:

“If history teaches us anything it is that freedom and democracy do not depend upon the best technology or the most efficient organization. They depend on individuals who refuse to give up their belief that the free flow of timely, truthful information is what has made freedom, self-government, and human dignity possible  .”

Arm yourselves fellow writers, for we have a large, exciting, and daunting task ahead of us. A promising future filled with an entire society of informed citizens, for it is our social responsibility and democratic duty to make sure this happens.

 

 

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