The growing demand for click responses versus journalistic quality in digital media largley depends on an individual or networks specialization.
The internet has become a vast wasteland for shared content and attention-grabbing media, which has made the work of journalist and news writer much more difficult. Those who collect information, interpret and tell stories are not always considered reporters in the digital realm, and the following for these particular bloggers and web hosts has increased exponentially. Content quality however for many of these trending sources do not follow fundamental journalism ethics.
An article by Tai-Li Wang explains how dual broadcasting systems devote more sensational news coverage than commercial broadcasting. The television and online markets particularly depend on the relationship between news sensationalization, competition levels, and professionalism. This study shows how crime, accidents, and disaster-related news are central to sensational news across 14 tested countries. (Tai-Li Wang)
The growth in news media competition around the world has created a market that is more entertainment oriented. Wang refers to a under market-driven journalism model, where network news becomes more attuned to the demands of viewers, content has become much faster, visually-oriented, and frequently plays up emotional elements.
This is very relative when considering the immediacy of the current digital media industry, in the sense that new information trends online and is often shared across mass media platforms in seconds.
Working at internet speed however changes the basic principles of journalism and makes the reflective practices more difficult. The future of journalism: networked journalism article, explains how higher volumes of data collection and the demand for faster output outweighs the amount of time left for interpretation and storytelling.
Integral to the traditional journalism model has always been the repute to fact check and accurately story tell. In the digital age, journalism has moved into a period of specialization and division of labor within journalism. (Van Der Haak, B, Parks, M. Castells, M.)
Data applications play an much more active role connecting with a specific audience and allows them to interact more personally and with mobility. A project organized by NPR collected data to create an application for parents of disabled children to locate wheelchair-friendly playgrounds. This type of project based research gives journalists the opportunity to collaborate and investigate on site specific stories that serve a purpose and reach distant audiences.
The top ten digital trends for journalists to be aware of this year, according to a journalism.co.uk article list: mobile and responsive design, geo-targeted content, private social media, drone journalism, short-form video, real-time analytics, windows phones, wearable tech, anticipatory news, and native advertising. (Edge.)
Journalists as a network can create synergy through collaborative research and develop resources for underserved communities. The future of journalism article also shows how networked news in the digital age is not a threat to the independence and quality of professional journalism, but a liberation from strict corporate control.
This reveals a thread of hope and excitement for future reporters looking to change the industry for the better and create meaningful stories and definite impact.
Sources:
Tai-Li Wang. (december 2012). Presentation and impact of market-driven journalism on sensationalism in global TV news international communication gazette. Retrieved from http://gaz.sagepub.com/content/74/8/711.abstract.
Van Der Haak, B., Parks, M., & Castells, M. (2012). The future of journalism: networked journalism. International journal of communication. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.libproxy.usc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA317781187&v=2.1&u=usocal_main&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=b57bdbeae42158246f50b4ed42159ab6
Edge, Abigail. (January 2014).10 digital trends for journalists to track in 2014. Retrieved from http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/10-digital-trends-for-journalists-to-track-in-2014/s2/a555509/