THE CHALLENGES OF A MODERN JOURNALISTS WORKING IN AN ONLINE SPACE

ONLINE JOURNALISM  Digital journalism also known as online journalism is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast.  The primary product of journalism, which is news and features on current affairs, is presented solely or in combination as text, audio, video and some interactive forms, and disseminated through digital media platforms.

CHALLENGES  Breaking the news  Quality vs Speed  Readers are changing  Overworked  Pace of Change  Monetization  Print reaches more audiences  News will have to go readers

Breaking the news Competing with:  Social Media  Citizen journalists/ Bloggers  Other outlets

Solutions  Information is NOT Journalism  Focus on content  Context/Judgement/Analysis/Angles  Embrace social media  As a source  Curate/Aggregate  Crowd sourcing

CURATE

Quality vs Speed  No time for verification  No time to confirm accuracy  Too many levels in newsroom  No time for thinking through articles

Solutions  Cross-platform verification  Keep a source database  Write faster  Lessen level – editors on standby

Readers Changing  Shorter concentration span  Users want shorter articles  Experience the story  Multimedia for storytelling  Readers want to be part of story  Interactivity  Readers do not want to be talked down to

Solutions  Shorter articles  Use different types of article  Listicles e.g. BUZZFEED  Infographs e.g. Piktoart/thinglink  Hyperlinks  Multimedia for storytelling  Videos  Audio  Interactivity  Use simpler language

LISTICLE

INFOGRAPHIC

Overworked  24-hour news cycle  Working in online & print  Making multimedia is time- consuming

Solutions  Keep plugged in  Do what you love  Effective use of social media  Outlets use shift  Find ways to remunerate  Flexi-time  Based on output

Pace of Change  Constant changes in technology

Monetisation  Audiences are increasingly fragmented  Advertisers have the upper hand  Newsrooms need to build new revenue models.

Print reaches more people  Print is the most effective way to reach markets.  In most newspapers revenue and profit comes from print.

News has to go to reader  The modern audience doesn’t expect to work hard to find the news.  Journalists must be able to write, report and market stories.  Reporters need to know how to use SEO to their advantage.  Online journalist have to do everything to bring more people to their work.

Future of Online Journalism  ADAPT  Be a Jack of all trades  Get a solid understanding of digital technology