Current State of Journalism as a Media of Mass Communication
Journalism is the practice of skilled writing for either newspapers or magazines or reading news on the television or the radio. A good number of people always have the desire to be updated with the current information concerning the world happenings. Therefore, through journalism, individuals get the opportunity to know the vital things occurring in the world. The journalists also help in providing the necessary warning to people in case of any danger so that they could get time to protect themselves before they encounter the calamity. The news also enables people to establish better and safe social security (Pew Research Center, 2011). Since news is the most important thing for the community, approaches of spreading it to many areas of the community had to be established and journalism was among the best means of spreading it worldwide. The news should be spread in a way that is true, accurate, without any harm and with a goal to accomplish.
During the 20th century, journalism was recognized for its development of professionalism. This development was based on a number of factors including the ever-rising number of working journalists, establishment of literature concerned with the history, difficulties, and tools of mass communication, special training for journalism, and the rising need or social duties for journalists. It is noted that journalism was established in the early 1818s through the development of England’s chartered institute of journalists. The news have been the major part of journalism; however, since the discovery of the radio and television broadcasts that aired their news bulletin to the community in a very competitive way that the journalist could not be able to compete with them.
According to Pew Research Center (2011), the newspaper had to find other means that could enable them stay in competition with other mass communication Medias such as the radio and television. The journalism had to increase the number of the interpretive material articles basing on the news background, personality sketches, and areas or space left for extra addition of comments and views by the knowledgeable writers who have good skills in displaying or presenting ideas in a way that can be seen and read by other people. However, in the mid 1960s the newspaper began depending on the technique used by the magazine. This later led to the blending of the news by the news magazines in all areas of their reporting.
According to Kovach and Rosenstiel (2007), the New York Herald was the first newspaper that complied with the modern way of defining a newspaper. This is because this newspaper had content of the city stories such as sports, business as well as coverage of the Wall Street. However, with time, journalism has grown so much that it produced the New York Times, which became the best and widely known newspaper worldwide. Although it never got enough publications during its early stages, currently it has developed and expanded in many ways. Today, journalism has grown and developed in very many forms including television and the internet being the most current one. The presence of the internet has caused more harm than good in that many people have been left confused between the true journalism and commercialism pretending to be the true news. Therefore, the viewers have the responsibility of the viewer to find right sources that could provide all the information needed.
The presence of the internet has led to the loss of much value of the newspaper since most people get news online. Therefore, it seems that the future of the newspaper and journalism in general is reducing day-in-day-out, unless something is done. According to Passante (2007), the traditional mass communication media have been forced to accept the new approaches of the journalism. These approaches include interactivity, transparency, urgency, and accuracy. However, there are also some approaches from the traditional way of journalism that the current media have borrowed and they involve being fair in all areas of the news and accuracy. However, in order for journalism to remain strong as it used to be in the peat years, it is necessary that the journalists and the government provide enough support to this group so that their needs are also met in particular the help should only be provide during the period of transmission to new model and platforms. Through the government support, the journalism sector in the mass communication media will grow strong instead of feeling out competent with other forms of news.
The future of the journalism is currently at stake due to the ever –growing of the world in the technological way. Because of technological development, a good number of journalist institutions are being forced to change so that they could suit with the current mass media communication. For instance, in case a person wants to join the journalism profession, he or she is supposed to have advanced and unique skills than the way it was in the past. Since the introduction of the internet worldwide, majority of people have declined in paying money for news or commentary. This is because they take they have realized that internet is cheaper and faster compared to buying a whole newspaper. Journalism is among the greatest self-declared profession and crafts. Therefore, through journalism people get a chance to know the importance things occurring in the world.
Journalists offer great assistance in giving the necessary warning to people in case of any danger such as occurring such as an earth quake, drought, flood or an accident so that they could get time to protect themselves before they encounter the calamity. The news through journalism enables people to establish better and safe social security systems this is through finding places to live that are having friendly people, security form the government, free from poverty and availability of water as an essential. Therefore, in my opinion, the use of journalism forms such as newspapers is being overturned or overtaken by the current technological development and installation of the internet almost in most parts of the country.
References
Kovach, B. and Rosenstiel, T. (2007). The Elements of Journalism. New York: Three Rivers Press. Retrieved from http://www.randomhouse.com/book/95291/the-elements-of-journalism-by-bill-kovach-and-tom-rosenstiel/9780307346704/
Passante, C. K. (2007). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Journalism. New York: Penguin Group. Retrieved from http://www.powells.com/biblio/95-9781440626296-0
Pew Research Center. (2011). Project for Excellence in Journalism. Retrieved from www.Journalism.org.
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