There are a many people who believe that journalism is a dying art, but is it really? The simple answer is, no. Journalism is merely changing. Back in the “old days” of the media, journalists studied, pursued and worked in one aspect of the market, whether it was print, radio or television. These journalists specialized in one media outlet, and frequently they were only given one section within this outlet to work on. However, in today’s world the lines between these markets are beginning to blur thru the introduction of the Internet. The fact that while the print part of some newspapers is on its way out, the online component of some of those same papers may be just beginning.
Nevertheless, online journalism only brings more obstacles and questions. Unlike print, radio, and television journalism, which go through a central organization, or publishing house, there is no requirement on the Internet to publish articles yourself. Most online journalists today are freelancers; meaning they don’t work for a specific news outlet, therefore have no responsibility to their articles credibility. Which is one of the major reasons journalism will continue to survive. Information needs to be credible and the best way for the public to know how trustworthy the source is or not, would be through branding, which the institutions of journalism supply.
The future of journalism is now dependent on the willingness of these institutions to adjust to the ecology and economy of the digital age. Journalism will continue to exist in some form because as a society, we need to consume information in order to participate in making decisions that affect us all, and with the Internet expanding, people are following news more closely than ever before.