Networked Journalists are an idealistic bunch. In a world that is sprinting to keep up with itself, only to get caught in the untied shoelaces of pavement-pounding traditional media, there is a population of new-minded, forward thinking journalists who see endless opportunity in technology. They have mastered the art of storytelling, they've been around long enough to remember life before the Internet, but they maintain an optimism and excitement that is bound to catch on. They are the Charlie Becketts of the journalism world. This movement will grow, and as we remember the good old days of Linotypes and afternoon papers, the hope that this rocket ship will soar to new heights instead of crashing and becoming smoldering ruins of a coherent society will keep us afloat until the former becomes the reality and the latter seems like an off-the-wall conspiracy theory.
It seems as though we have reached the final frontier of newspapers, but these changes are nothing new. Even the Golden Age of journalism in the 1970s and 80s would have been unrecognizable to William Bradford, John Peter Zenger or Benjamin Franklin: the founding fathers of American journalism. The nuts and bolts will stay the same, but the tools and the hands that use them will be constantly changing throughout time. To expect a static industry from a profession that bases its substance on what's new is a little hypocritical, dontcha think?
There are some logistical hurdles of figuring out exactly how to use new media -- for example how to "friend" someone, how to use a hash tag and what's the best way to start a blog; all things that can be taught to the older generations, albeit with a certain level of frustration, but also these are things that the younger generation is growing up with. These skills will become as basic on a resume as "knows how to read."
Just as basic literacy molded our society into a thinking, innovating one long before asnwering questions of civil rights or health care reform. In SuperMedia, Charlie Beckett refers to the new stage in accepting and making the most of what Networked Journalism has to offer as "Media literacy."
"Media literacy, in the deeper sense that I will have tried to outline here is about helping to build that connectivity. That is why I repeat that Networked Journalism will not emerge without a real understanding of its implications and potential. It is not just another label for New Media. It will require investment, imagination, and innovation." (p. 168)
Indeed, the learning curve is erratic and uneven across generations and classes. But what many analyses of new media fail to explore is its impact worldwide. For some reason, maybe because we made Google, we think we'll be the only ones to consult about any ethical questions or any major developments in the new media arena. Who would have thought a blogger in Africa could have his voice heard to correct the often faulty coverage of a place that is notoriously difficult to understand and even harder to objectively write about from a Western perspective? Doesn't he deserve a say in how Networked Journalism depicts the "plight" of Africa? While Africa still lacks even the most basic press structure, the continent's widespread corruption keeps journalists from reporting fairly about their own governments. But would every place on Earth benefit from a free and robust media? Does the West need to bring "democracy" of the press to places where it has not developed naturally already? Beware of this "exceptionalism," says Beckett. A free press has long been an indicator of a successful state, and we should not hold Africa to any less of a standard.
Throughout the book, Beckett writes extensively about the effects Networked Journalism can have on politics and vice versa. The two systems have lived co-dependently since the beginning of time. Over the years, the two have taken turns becoming warped by the influence of the other, but it might be safe to say that Networked Journalism has the power to make the playing field as even as it can be. Politicians are held more accountable than they ever have been, but at the same time they have had unprecedented access to the public and the spotlight. They have embraced this information generation, even if it could be the source of their downfall one day. Becketts repeated references back to politics, in Africa and in Europe as well, also underline the importance of making sure journalists use these new resources to make the media more reliable instead of diluting the good journalism so much that its watchdog function is forgotten in the wake of the information overload.
One "natural" development that traditional media have resisted unsuccessfully is the citizen journalist. Universal publication forums has driven untrained reporters to test out life as a journalist. Now that news organizations are taking all the cheap help they can get, (and if they weren't included in the recent New York Times article about unpaid internships, they certainly should have been), regular Joe Schmoe the plumber can contribute to the national news media. In some cases, this works, such as in Northfield, Minn., where a gaggle of local residents has created its own witty news site with hyperlocal coverage.
All of this together: new media time-saving, truth-finding gadgets vs. old media phone calls and by-hand records searches; global communication vs. local concentration; everyone can be a journalist vs. the press-pass elite; journalism as a public service vs. reporting as a trade; it all has come down to this moment in history when not only individual news organizations, but an entire population of people has to face the fact that Networked Journalism is the only way to continue the mission of providing fast, accurate news that can change policies, change minds and change lives. It's not something to be feared, but it's not something to foolishly accept without some sense of skepticism. Charlie Beckett's idealism may seem a little illogical. For example, you can't turn every story into a mediation session between two dissenting groups. But his insight into what comes after the final frontier is an exceptional reminder of the resilience of journalism, wherever it's practiced around the globe.
Sources Referenced:
Beckett, Charlie. SuperMedia. Blackwell Publishing: United Kingdom, 2008.
Tripp, Bernell. "Intro & Colonial Press." History of Journalism class PowerPoint Lecture Outlines. Accessed via e-Learning on April 13, 2010.
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