Pettey 1

Megan Pettey

Dr. Harbinson

RC2001-186

9 April 2019

Major Issues Draft 2

Since it was first introduced, the internet has been steadily making major alterations to

the way people receive information. This development affects the field of journalism in

particular, as news organizations have been forced to adjust to the impacts of integrating

technology into their practices. The rise of online journalism has also paved the way for the

debate of whether or not technology is a positive or negative influence for the field. Research has

shown that overall, the transformation made by the popularity of the internet has been more

beneficial than harmful for journalism.

Through the increased accessibility provided by the internet, the field has been able to

fulfill it’s purpose of informing the public better than ever before. Online journalism has opened

up a new channel of communication between the reader and the writer, allowing a greater

opportunity for the voices of citizens to be heard. Luke Weir, a journalist for the Ashe Post &

Times, stated that “As a journalist in 2019, social media — especially Facebook— is the primary

way that my news organization pushes stories to our readership.” According to a study involving

professionals in the field, many journalists believe that the web is crucial in fostering dialogue

between news organizations and those who interact with their stories, which in turn increases the

democratization of the media (Spyridou, Lia-Paschalia, et al). The rise in accessibility of media

provided by the internet also means news is reaching a greater audience than before.

Professionals state that online journalism is peaking the interest of younger people through the
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use of social media since it allows content to be shared instantaneously (Spyridou, Lia-Paschalia,

et al.). By reaching a greater number of people, the field is more effective than it ever has been in

fulfilling it’s core principles, all due to the integration of the internet.

Not only has the web benefitted those reading the news, but it’s opened up new

opportunities for those covering it as well. The internet has provided many new modes of

research for journalists and has also aided in agenda building for stories. Social media provides

easy access to trending topics, helping journalists discern what the public is most interested in at

the time, in turn making it easier for them to produce content that fulfills the need of their

readers. In a survey of 200 journalists, 18.5% reported social media was the first tool they

utilized when writing a piece (Lariscy, Ruthann Weaver, et al). Producing stories that meet the

needs of the audience is especially crucial in the digital age. Online readers are more focused on

the subject matter of a piece than they previously were because they have more stories readily

available to them, often times for free. “The journalist, more than the producer or the editor, is

responsible for the content of news. I have tried to stress that online journalism is content

driven…and it is that content…that readers look for online,” (Hall, 90). With the focus of the

audience shifting to the more critical matter of a story, the emergence of research tools provided

by the internet is immensely helpful for writers in achieving the goal of satisfying their audience.

Another core focus of journalism is the timeliness of a story. The instantaneous nature of

the internet has allowed breaking news to reach the audience instantly, further aiding journalism

in successfully achieving it’s central purposes. In an age where the public is constantly

consumed by their phones, news organizations have been able to take advantage of social media

so their stories can reach their audience quicker. “I’m inclined to believe social media is

primarily the first place people go for their news, rather than directly to a newspaper or online
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news source,” (Weir). In a recent survey, researchers discovered a fifty-seven percent increase in

traffic from news sites referred from social media (Martin). Social media quickly delivers news

stories through posts that instantly direct the audience to an organization’s website. In acting as a

clear pathway to news organizations, social media has drastically enhanced the timely nature of

news in a crucial manner. “Now the web has established its own advantages of speed and

timeliness; and in doing so it has enabled newspapers to come full circe by posting breaking

news and extending their brands,” (Giles). In comparison to traditional journalism, online news

is delivering necessary, breaking stories to the public faster than print or television ever could.

While there are many positive implications of online journalism, the digital age has also

given way to numerous issues as well. With the popularity of social media, the integrity of

journalism has been called into question as certain organizations shift their focus towards gaining

attention rather than generating authentic, newsworthy pieces. One of the issues news

organizations are being faced with is making money through online journalism while still

producing free content for their audience (“The Internet and it’s Effect on journalism”). With

online journalism, revenue is typically determined by the amount of people who have seen or

interacted with a story, causing more journalists to produce “clickbait” pieces rather than

informative ones. Organizations such as Mashable and Buzzfeed curate content purely designed

to provide entertainment and gain attention, causing many to question whether the field of

journalism has strayed beyond it’s original intent into something unrecognizable. Clickbait

pieces fail to uphold the fundamental purposes of informing the public and acting as a watchdog

against powerful institutions. Prior to technology when physical papers were the source of news,

companies generated money from their ads, meaning their content could remain focused on what

truly mattered. “…The inundation of ‘new’ articles aggregated on social media platforms has
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made it increasingly difficult for the general public to parse fact from fiction, or editorial content

from advertorial content,” (Weir). Many argue this transformation brought on by technology has

created the unnecessary burden of sifting through what is and isn’t newsworthy for the reader.

This stress affects individuals across all generations, not just those still adjusting to the digital

age. “It’s hard because a democracy relies on an educated public, but there’s just so much

information out there that it’s hard to discern what’s legitimate and what’s not,” (Patti).

Though sensationalist journalism has proven to be a sizable consequence as a result of the

internet, the improvements brought on by the integration of the web still continue to outweigh

the downsides. Even though more content is being produced that fails to uphold the purposes of

the field, the amount of reliable pieces available outweigh the sensationalist stories. Alison Gow,

blogger and member of the Board of Directors for the Society of Editors, stated that they address

the issue of captivating the attention of online readers by utilizing audience analytics and reader

trends. “Layer real time analytics with historic data and social information, and you have a

matrix to work from,” (Gow). Similarly, journalist Luke Weir advises fellow writers to “stick

with real news, and not fall into the trap of ‘pandering to lurid curiosity,’” as a solution for those

producing pieces. The internet provides multiple resources for deciphering trends within the

online community, making it easy for journalists to discover topics that appeal to their audience

and gain the necessary traffic to produce revenue without resorting to clickbait tactics.

Overall, the integration of the internet into journalism has paved the way for an

emergence of opportunities for the field to expand and improve. In contributing to the

democratization of the news, encouraging citizen participation in the media, and providing a

wider variety of research tools for journalists themselves, the internet has proved to be a vital

instrument for journalists. While these changes require news organizations and those familiar
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with the field to adapt, in the long run citizens and journalists alike will benefit from the rise of

web journalism due to the multitude of positive impacts it surely brings.

Works Cited

Brick technology Ltd. “The Internet and It's Effect on Journalism?” Brickweb, 18 June 2013,

www.brickweb.co.uk/the-internet-and-its-effect-on.

“The Elements of Journalism.” American Press Institute, 9 Oct. 2013,

www.americanpressinstitute.org/journalism-essentials/what-is-journalism/elements-

journalism/.
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Giles, Bob. “Journalism in the Era of the Web.” Nieman Reports,

niemanreports.org/articles/journalism-in-the-era-of-the-web/.

Gow, Alison. “Six Thoughts on Emerging Opportunities for Journalism.” Headlines and

Deadlines, 19 Nov. 2014, alisongow.com/2014/11/19/sixthoughtsforjournalism/.

Kivak, Rebecca. “Clickbait.” Salem Press Encyclopedia , Salem Press, Inc. , 2017.

Lariscy, Ruthann Weaver, et al. “An Examination of the Role of Online Social Media in

Journalists’ Source Mix.” Public Relations Review, vol. 35, no. 3, 2009, pp. 314–316.,

doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2009.05.008.

Martin, Nicole. “How Social Media Has Changed How We Consume News.” Forbes, Forbes

Magazine, 30 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/nicolemartin1/2018/11/30/how-social-

media-has-changed-how-we-consume-news/#236d9d173c3c.

Patti, Chris. Personal interview. (25 April 2019).

Spyridou, Lia-Paschalia, et al. “Journalism in a State of Flux.” International Communication

Gazette, vol. 75, no. 1, 2013, pp. 76–98., doi:10.1177/1748048512461763.

Weir, Luke. Personal interview. (22 April 2019).