Nothing in life is FREE

Recently I was put into a very uncomfortable situation, a situation that more people should be put in. I was asked whether I pay for the content I read online and whether I would be prepared to pay for it in the future?

My answer was no, I do not pay for journalism and to be quiet frank I should be ashamed of myself. I am a 24 year old student in my final year of university studying a bachelor of communication majoring in journalism and once I finish, which will be in a matter of months I am expecting to get a paid job.

The question which really needs to be posed is If I don’t pay for the content I read then who will? And where will the money come from? Advertising has always been a reliable source of funding but its never smart to put all of your eggs in one basket.

Many online news sites are now charging a small fee for their content, this move has seen both positive and negative results. It was only last month that the British Sun Newspaper began charging 2 pound for a digital entertainment package. The package includes exclusive deals and rewards with retails partners and according to the australian.com many Australian publishers have announced their plans to do the same.

Editor of The Sun David Dinsmore described the payment introduction on his Twitter account as "One small click for man, one giant leap for the future of news. Sun+ is here".

In an interview with Sky News Dinsmore said “I don’t mind how you consume the Sun, if you want to read it in print product that's fine, if you want to read it online great, I don't care as long as you’re paying for the product.”

I agree with Mr Dinsmore, people are working hard for this content, why should it be for free?Lets be totally honest with ourselves, 2 pound really is nothing, people would be spending more on their morning coffee.

Maybe after reading this you will reconsider you decision about paying for online content and if you already pay for your content then GOOD ON YOU! The next few years are crucial in the news industry and It will be the way in which media companies respond to the changing circumstances along with the general public that will reveal the direction journalism takes in this digital age.

Remember….nothing in life is FREE…

Twitter: Journalists' worst enemy or best friend?

The introduction of social media sites such a Twitter has taken the role of the journalist on a raging rollercoaster. Now news is a 24-hour cycle, it’s about audience participation and most importantly, who can break a story first.

Journalists no longer depict the top news stories for the day. The newsworthiness will be determined by the amount of tweets, likes or hash tags. The audience holds the crystal ball, however it is the journalists that have the skills to investigate and tell the stories. If a story is broken in the morning it will be seen as old by the afternoon. This has resulted in Journalists having to post stories instantaneously, their role is all about multitasking and being efficient.

Twitter describes their networking site as a “real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas and news”. I find it interesting to note that twitter classifies themselves as connecting you to the news, what I would like to know is whether people feel that this domain is a trustworthy news source?

Jay Baer coauthor of, ‘The Now Revolution: 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social’ Says “Ultimately, speed wins. The companies that engage customers on Twitter and Facebook within minutes are making a none-too-subtle statement about their embrace of the social telephone and the primacy of the customer”.

He may be right that speed wins the majority of the time, however it’s hard to beat an investigative piece of journalism. Journalists push the boundaries, they dig deeper, uncover further information and then tell it to the world.

Jason Chatfield’s article ‘Go Forth and Verify’ provides a great insight into the role of the journalist in the age of social media. A statement which really stuck with me was “when official sources say something, a journalists job isn’t to report it, its to check that its true”.

I not think Twitter is damaging to journalism, I actually think Twitter is an incredible source to use, if used appropriately. When engaging with Twitter journalists need to be extremely careful and make sure their sources are reliable.

Twitter and journalists can maintain a very healthy partnership and the below YouTube link will show you just that! 

Enjoy!!

http://devour.com/video/the-impact-of-twitter-on-journalism/

Long Live Investigative Journalism!

This week’s tutorial really opened my eyes to the importance of investigative journalism. It is not often that you will come across people questioning whether the news is telling you the entire truth? Didn’t our mothers always tell us not to believe everything that we hear?

Since the emergence of technology, continual questions have been raised about the importance of journalism. One of the most commonly debated questions is whether or not journalism is a dying trade?

Many opinions surround around what the future will entail for journalists, however the evidence behind the continual and growing importance of journalism still remains.

Author of ‘Journalism at the Cross Roads’, Margaret Simons makes a valid point about the significance of journalism.

“I believe the most useful thing about journalism – indeed, our essential trade skill – is that we find things out. That we ferret away in the murky world of unauthorised disclosure,” she said.

Simon’s statement emphasises the importance of investigative journalism. Search on the Internet and you will find hundreds of pages dedicated to the incredible work of investigative journalists.

An Australian journalist which stands out from the rest worked in a time of hands on investigation, a time where computers didn’t exist but typewriters, a time that is very foreign to the modern journalists of today. He goes by the name of Wilfred Burchett and he is famous for his coverage on the atomic plague.

Wilfred exposed the widespread radiation poisoning which was a result from the Tokyo bombing. He watched and documented as doctors wait helplessly as they witnessed people dying.

The American authorities strongly denied that this type of poisoning even existed. America went as far as describing fish, which died immediately upon entering water in Hiroshima, as ‘Japanese propaganda.’

Wilfred made the front page of the ‘Daily Express’ on  September 5, 1945. The article was written as “as a warning to the world”. The news quickly spread around the world and made an international impact. 

It is uncovering critical information and publishing news stories such as the atomic plague which reiterate journalisms importance in society. The courage and skills of journalists such as Wilfred Burchett show the continual need for journalists not only on the past but also in the present and future.

Curious to know more about the great work of other journalists like Wilfred Burchett? Then take some time and read over the following website : http://sabotagetimes.com/people/john-pilger-and-the-greatest-investigative-journalism-moments-in-history/