Research Assessment #3

Date: September 28th, 2018

Subject: “The Future of News”
MLA Citation: Micklethwait, John. “The Future of News.” Bloomberg Businessweek, no.
4568, May 2018, pp. 12–14. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=129416660&site=ehost-live.

Analysis:
In this piece from Bloomberg Businessweek, editor in-chief, John Micklethwait reflects on the
transitions currently taking place within the journalism industry. Micklethwait begins by recalling how
President Trump declined to attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner,
whereby Mr. Trump would have been sat next to Mr. Micklethwait. Present day, it’s common
knowledge that President Trump strongly disregards the media, as to him, journalism is now nothing
more than tabloids or “fake news”. When the president of the United States stops supporting the news
industry, it appears that this crucial work is reaching its demise. According to Micklethwait, however,
“news is an industry in transition, not in decline”.

One way that journalism is sustaining is through digital, metered paywalls. These devices charge
regular readers, while remaining open to occasional visitors, free of charge, as they are exposed to
advertisements. Numerous publications have found success through creating digital subscription
packages. I personally pay for the Dallas Morning New digital subscription. It’s $14.99 a month but gives
me access to the entire website, free of ads, and to the newspaper e-reader, where I can read the daily
paper from the convenience of my computer or phone. Another positive, Micklethwait claims, is that in
2018, audiences are more comfortable and willing to pay for online content. With subscription fees for
streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, and Apple Music, consumers are beginning to
understand that the internet is not a free hub of goods and services. Ultimately, digital subscriptions
prove vastly effective in not only sustaining journalism but improving it, as journalists are not held
accountable by advertisers but audiences.

Due to technological advancements, Micklethwait states that automation is changing the way in
which stories are produced. With the influx of mass digital media, for most publications, it is a race
against time, as the faster stories are out, the greater advantage they have over competing coverage.
Micklethwait and his team use a computer software called Cyborg that automatically fills in templates
created by journalists. Cyborg can instantly report information such as a company’s earnings, a mini-
wrap of numbers, general context, and headline suggestions. Although journalists are still responsible
for the curating and publishing of these stories, whether that be by creating templates, editing a piece,
or proof-reading, these automatic programs can serve as a great asset to any digital-first publication. No
longer the sole source for information, “journalists whose core responsibility used to be saying what
happened now have to answer questions like why and what’s next” says Micklethwait.

Contrary to media for the masses, modern-day journalism must meet the individualized, specific
needs of its audience. Personalization allows publications to take part in a two-way interaction with the
reader, ultimately, increasing their readership. Based on one’s frequently visited stories and selected
interests, companies may tailor a personalized digital experience for that reader. Along with this,
journalists must now be strategic with how stories are presented. Micklethwait states in the article that
“editorship is increasingly a matter of choosing the best way to deliver information to a time-starved
consumer”. Although information may be reported through a podcast, video, or graphics, ultimately, the
job remains the same across multiple platforms.

Lastly, Micklethwait emphasizes the importance of sustaining good journalism. In a defense to

the latest buzz of “fake news”, he comments that this is no new issue, as in the early 1800’s there were
multiple publications found guilty of releasing inaccurate and biased stories. The beginning corruption
within the newsroom caused both advertisers and readers to think carefully about where they invested
time and money. For this very reason, I believe that ultimately, truthful and just news companies will
survive during economic hardships, as readers will be willing to pay for high quality content.

“The newspaper has not so much died as transmuted” says Micklethwait in his closing remarks.
Just as Micklethwait implies, the need for tech-focused, innovative journalists is higher than ever.