The evolution of journalism: introducing social media
Since I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to go into journalism. But whenever I announced to people that I planned to pursue reporting, I watched their faces change.
Even after I was accepted to the Newhouse school, I still got a similar reaction from others when I spoke about journalism. To many, it seemed incredulous that I would prepare for a career in a “dying industry”. Especially with the recent political polarization and demonization of the media, it was certainly unpopular to discuss my career goals.
Journalism didn’t always have this reputation in the working world. The “golden age of journalism” is definitely up for debate, but for me, I think of it as roughly 1950-1970s. Between the civil rights movement, Vietnam and Watergate, reporting seemed to be at an all time high in terms of trust and responsibility. Journalists (print and TV alike) were active in holding authority figures accountable. While this is still a prominent role of journalism, the tone has shifted.
Giving power to the public
Before social media, journalism used to be strictly one-way communication. The public had very little voice in topics covered or how they were covered. However, social media has developed a very active audience.
The relationship between reporter and consumer is rapidly shifting. Social media allows for an open dialogue between the two, giving power to the consumer. The public can post photos from breaking news or message reporters directly. When the audience is able to give feedback in real time directly to the source, it can foster a better connection to the public and encourage more authentic reporting.
While there are many positives to this new model of mass communication, there are definitely downsides to giving power to the public. When anyone is allowed to post anything that they want, it creates risks. As we’ve seen recently, the spread of misinformation continues to grow, with new technology adding fuel to the fire. Deepfake technology and the uptick of swatting incidents demonstrate issues that come with the extreme accessibility of social media. Online forums can also promote groupthink and confirmation bias.
Newsgathering, audience engagement and distribution of news
Social media has shaken up the entire journalism industry, but has specifically affected three areas of reporting: newsgathering, audience engagement and distribution of news. When it comes to the process of newsgathering, social media has become an integral part of many newsroom’s assignment desks. In my recent internship at CBS News, we heavily relied on social media to stay up to date. For example, when the pro-Palestine protests picked up again at UCLA in June, we went directly to the X account of the Daily Bruin to get the most recent news.
As previously mentioned, audience engagement is a huge change. With real time feedback, audiences are able to really have an impact on coverage and can have more of a voice in how their identities are being covered. They can bring attention to smaller, underrepresented communities.
With audience habits shifted, many adults now turn to social media to get the recent breaking news, shifting news distribution. At CBS in Los Angeles, if an earthquake occurs in the area, the first point of action is posting to social media. It is the quickest and most efficient way to get breaking news to the audience, and then later follow up with more detailed information.
The prevalence of social media also raises questions about what new skills do journalists need in such a mobile world. Journalists must focus on not only their broadcast or article, but making sure they are pushing content to social media quickly and accurately. They need to shift tone and language for social media as well to make it more digestible for consumers.
All in all, the notion that journalism is “dying” is misleading, despite its popularity. In my opinion, the role of journalism is to reflect behavior. As the public’s behavior changes and evolves, journalism must follow suit. Traditional reporting may be falling off, but the importance and power of honest, empathetic journalism will never falter.
By Mikayla Melo
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