“The endgame of newspapers is in sight,” Philip Meyer writes. In his article, “The Elite Newspaper of the Future,” published in the October/November 2008 issue of the American Journalism Review, Meyer addresses the strategy that newspapers must employ to survive in the new age of journalism. The least vulnerable service provided by newspapers, according to Meyer, is community influence, which is gained “by being the trusted source of locally produced news, analysis, and investigative reporting about public affairs.” It is exactly this that Meyer believes should be developed and concentrated upon in newspapers in order for them to survive.
While the result of using this strategy remains unknown, like the CJR article, “The Reconstruction of American Journalism,” Meyer’s article conveys a similar message— that while the future of newspapers is bleak, they will never be fully destroyed; only diminished, by the onslaught of online journalism. Indeed, while many newspapers have made cutbacks and some have gone online completely, local newspapers for small towns and cities still flourish today due to the lack of coverage for those regions. Revenue made by larger newspapers like the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times has declined, but by adapting to the changes taking place, namely, creating online versions of their newspapers with intensive multimedia features, they have been able to sustain themselves. In the future of American journalism, it is important for news organizations to embrace technology for all that it has to offer. With changing times, they must change themselves.
As a journalism student at Baruch College who is taking the Perspectives on the News class, reading several news sources is, of course, the only way to analyze how news are really reported. Like many people, I read blogs, but I never just read blogs as my only source of news. In the CJR article, “The Reconstruction of American Journalism,” it explains the “increasingly symbiotic” relationship between the blogosphere and established media. The term, symbiotic, illustrates the existence of a collaborative relationship between two allies, rather than a fight to the finish between two enemies. If the goal and purpose of journalism is to inform for the public good, then surely, this collaboration will move forward journalism.
With all that is going on in the internet, be it Twitter, blogs, or online versions of newspapers, the world seems far closer and more accessible than it has ever been. As the New York Times article, “Washington Taps into a Potent New Force in Diplomacy,” reported in June, Twitter provided a special inside look into the protests that were spreading in Tehran. With Twitter and blogs, the people are the reporters— the participants of the journalistic process.
As a traditionalist who enjoys the feel of newspaper in her hands, it is a shame that the role of newspapers is no longer as important as they once were. But as one individual among the masses who receive information, the notion of greater collaboration and more participation from the people for the public good is extremely appealing. And as an aspiring journalist, the idea of working with multimedia, being a true backpack journalist, and becoming a part of this new wave is truly mouthwatering.