Future of Journalism

The Department of Journalism at Uclan has published a book "the future of journalism in the Advanced democracies"

Not willing to part with the £19.99 that the bookshop wants,I have borrowed a copy from the library ,and as it has to be returned shortly, perhaps a brief synopsis is appropraite:

As the authors say:"this book is being written when the world of communication is undergoing a period of rapid and quite fundemental change".

In this rapidly changing environment it asks three core questions:

1. to what extent is hard news losing the battle to soft news across the media and is this a serious problem
2. does the range and depth of news coverage ensure that electorates are given adequate information to participate i the democratic process
3. in this age of concentrated ownership,is it easy to access balanced presentations of the news

In this changing world the bookmakes the point that change has been fuelled by the rapid growth of the internet whch has changed the way that people get their information,and this has change the role of the journalist.

Peter Anderson writes about these challenges.He describes the "ec-tech squeeze"whereby the media is under pressure from both technological pressures driving the platform and the economic necessity of profitability.

The technology he has can either enhance or detract from the quality of journalism.Mulitichannel broadcasting is a good example of this as people can channel hrom news and also pressures on the makers of news docs such as Panorama is greater as channels go in search of ratings.Anderson beleives that government regulation may well be required to force broadcasters to carry news at peak times.

The book then looks at the differing sectors of the media

Geoff Ward looks at national newspapers. He sees the key challenges as "falling circulation,an increasing competitive environment nd a corporate view of performance".

The nationals ,he continues have responded by "an increasing concentration of entertainment,leisure and lifestyle content presented in appealing and user friendly packages"

If journalism is treated as a marketplace commodity,it retreats fro its public role and leaves a vacuumin the political system"

Julie Freer looks at the regional and local press,which has seen a massive concentration of ownership in recent years.The papers have survived due to the economies of scale which have allowed cost savings and"a effectivedefence of local advertising markets"

The thoughts of Steve Dyson,now editor of the Birmingahm mail are also important.He talks of a back to basics approach which focuses on greater emphisis on local community news and campaigning issues.

Convergence will also strengthen the sector with newspapers making greater useof coment thru blogs and other forms of interaction.

The chapter on online journalism begins with the statement that

"the tradition of journalism as the prime mediator and gate keeper"is being challenged."Within the online medium,the public is not just the recipient of mediated information.It can also choose,compare and publish its own"

Orville Shnell at the University of California is quoted as saying that "the Roman empire that is the mass media is breaking up and we are entering an almost feudal period where there will be many more centres of power and influence."

One of these centres is that of citizen journalism which the authors split into 4 parts.

1. Increased interactivity between the professional and the citizen
2. That provided by the public to complement the traditional media
3. provided by the public with the help of the established media
4. that which is competing such as blogs

Journalists they conclude will need to create further ways to interact,collaberate and share and will need constantly to reappraise their relationship with the public.

Like all good relationships it will have to be worked at:

So what are the conclusions to the questions that the book posed

1. That soft news is increasingly taking the ascendancy though the rate of change depends on the platforms that it inhabits.
2. that hard news is generally losing out as competition forces media to go down the entertainment route.

A good read and I am sure to become a standard text