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Newspapers are dying but there’s still a need for good journalism

I’m frustrated that many writers are heralding the death of journalism when in truth, the newspaper industry is taking the hit. Reporting, journalism and good old fashion getting the word out are all here to stay.

The fact is that newspapers as we have known them are dying, so as readers and consumers of news, we need to accept this fact and move on to other means for consuming the news. And if you truly look at how a newspaper is run as a business these days, the daily paper no longer fills our needs as a culture anyway. It’s too slow, it will never be a green industry and it’s losing its ability to complete with online delivery.

But as the medium shifts from the paper and ink newspaper with it’s traditional newsroom checks and balances, we should demand that good reporting techniques and practices be important in the development of the new and emerging mediums such as blogs, Twitter posts and other online venues.

Traditional newspapers are competing with the Internet and free content, of course, and recent news of the 146-year-old Seattle Post-Intelligencer going to web-only delivery should be an indicator that more of the larger papers will be taking this route to stay in business.

Newspapers that do survive will also face more competition with citizen journalists who, with a simple blog, cell phone, and Twitter account, can get breaking news to readers faster than the printers can ink the plates and roll the presses. Gone are the days when only reporters and establish news agencies break and subsequently publish the news.

So it’s becoming more important for their overall survival that newspapers adapt to new technologies and also break news through Twitter and their online sites. A must read on the subject of newspapers getting into social media can be found in Woody Lewis’ 10 Ways Newspapers are Using Social Media to Save the Industry.

The word “newspaper” will take on a different meaning, like “record album,” or “TV show.” It won’t go away, and it will continue to describe some of the most hallowed brand names in the world. Social media will play a big part in that transformation. As the dynamics of our society change, as institutions go public or private, or disappear entirely, the need to report these events in a responsible manner will be even more critical. Social journalism is more than a buzzword, it’s the way social media will save the industry.

Another must read is Clay Shirky’s Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable.

Society doesn’t need newspapers. What we need is journalism. For a century, the imperatives to strengthen journalism and to strengthen newspapers have been so tightly wound as to be indistinguishable. That’s been a fine accident to have, but when that accident stops, as it is stopping before our eyes, we’re going to need lots of other ways to strengthen journalism instead.

I make the argument that newspaper are not exactly dying, but rather, evolving with the times and the current needs of readers. Those papers that find ways to evolve effectively, will survive, and those that do not, will perish. Hey, it’s all about adapting to new business climates and finding new opportunities.

A few good sites for more information about the future of newspapers and journalism

Teaching good reporting skills

‘NYT’ Digital Czar: News Cooperative’s a Possibility

The future of journalism

The importance of The Fourth Estate in democracy

Twitters worth following

@10000Words
@themediaisdying
@journalistics

Your Writing Dept is a Sacramento-based writing firm that specializes in developing technical manuals and user guides. We like to say that we can be your tech writing team, without the overhead. Email us for more information about our services at info@yourwritingdept.com.

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