Journalists of today know that words are the cake in a story but a picture is the perfect icing on top. We all love to get down to the nitty gritty when investing our time in a juicy article or news broadcast but what really draws us in are the photographic elements in a report. It seems that as technology continues to advance, the public wants more of a self explanatory explanation of topical journalism. Yes, the hard hitting details may form the factual basis of a story but being presented with a visual has the power to highlight a piece or even change our initial opinion in an instant. Have paper and ink lost their impact on society?
These days it seems that seeing is the new believing. With iphones in every pocket, snapping a quick picture or recording a poor quality on scene video is a golden ticket to the six o’clock news. Both news and print journalists not only have to describe a hard hitting event or occurrence, but now make sure it highlights what was captured. The public now listens more with their eyes than their ears. A journalist’s report has the potential to quickly become second fiddle. It seems that we quickly are no longer striving to imagine the words we read or hear, but instead become easily frustrated when not presented with a visual. This leaves room for a huge margin of gossip and speculation. Assumptions are useless and only cause a larger problem. Our busy schedules cause us to feel that a picture or video is worth a thousand words even if the article firmly disproves it. We do not take the time to hear or read the actual facts. This is exactly how hard hitting stories get set aside and B-list drama becomes the hot new trend. If Lindsay Lohan has a more shocking video than a picture of starving children in another country, our attention is instantly given to the wrong story.
So next time you are about to skip over an article to the dull picture on the front page, consider giving it a chance. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but with a little dedication, you may realize how priceless words truly are.