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Journalists have always done their best to inform the public while holding those in power accountable. After all, free speech has always been a cornerstone of the Constitution’s First Amendment. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
However, the art of journalism has dramatically changed over the past several decades. A multitude of factors are responsible, including technological advances, cultural and societal shifts, and a basic transformation of how the public consumes media.
News today is delivered through a plethora of digital platforms, from websites, social media, blogs/vlogs, streams, podcasts, and, of course, broadcast media. The internet now allows real-time reporting with instant access from virtually anywhere on the planet using mobile phones, laptops, and tablets to report stories. Delivery speed has increased exponentially, resulting in a 24/7 news cycle with constant updates. When I was growing up, we had to wait for audio and video to be hand-delivered or uplinked via satellite.
Journalism used to be funded mainly through advertising dollars from publications and broadcast media. Subscriptions and newsstand sales also contributed to the financial stability of news organizations. That model has been completely upended.
Print advertising revenue has declined sharply, and many news operations have been forced to adapt in order to survive. Digital advertising, paywalls, and subscriptions have become standard revenue streams. Let us not forget the thousands of independent journalists who depend on newfound revenue, as well.
Until relatively recently, reporting and engagement moved in only one direction. Readers, viewers, and listeners received information with no interaction from those journalists delivering the info. Viewers never spoke with Walter Cronkite or Peter Jennings. You had to write to the editor or call the stations to give your opinion and that took time as well. Speaking of Cronkite, no one ever knew what his political affiliation was, even though he certainly had opinions. He just never spoke about them on or off camera. He believed his job was to inform the public with fact-driven truth.
It couldn’t be more different today as journalism currently thrives on a great deal of interaction and engagement. Social media platforms give journalists a direct link to their consumers in real-time. Comments, likes, shares, and reposts provide instant feedback and offer a new level of relationships with the public, allowing journalists to measure opinions, interests and concerns in real-time.
The slower news cycle of years gone by gave journalists more time for thorough fact-checking and oversight. It helped ensure that the information published was accurate and was verified using several sources. While that did not always work, journalistic ethics had established standards and codes of conduct that focused a great deal on impartiality, accuracy, and responsibility. That seems to have fallen by the wayside and, all too often, has gone to hell in a handbasket!
The pressure to deliver info quickly and be the first to do so often compromises the depth of fact-checking. Sadly, this rapid process can lead to spreading misinformation. The good side to this technology also allows for immediate corrections and updates.
Ethical journalism should still and always be a cornerstone for those in the industry, but the challenges of the fast-paced digital world are significant. Is it speed or accuracy we desire most? Perhaps the problem is due more to consumers’ belief that whatever they read on the internet is true, on top of an overall lack of desire for people to fact-check on their own now. This becomes frightening in an election cycle when a large percentage of what we read and hear has not been fact-checked at all.
Will this continuing evolution of journalism be sustainable as a working model? It seems to me that core values of “journalism” have been put to the test. Should not the primary objective always be to inform the public, uncover the truth, and hold power to account? We have all learned that change is inevitable, but at what cost? I would hope that we continue to explore ways to generate revenue while navigating this complex landscape, balancing speed and accuracy with uncompromised journalistic values, ethics, and public trust.
Bob Lawrence serves as a Market Manager for Seven Mountains Media, overseeing the company’s Parkersburg, WV/Marietta, OH cluster. He has held virtually every position in the business over his 40+ year career, from being on-air in Philadelphia, San Diego, and San Francisco as well as programming legendary stations including KHTR St. Louis, KITS Hot Hits and KIOI (K101) San Francisco.
Bob also honed his research skills over ten years as Senior VP of Operations at Broadcast Architecture, eventually launching his own research company and serving as President/CEO of Pinnacle Media Worldwide for 15 years. Bob spent five years as VP of Programming for Saga Communications before joining New South Radio in Jackson, Mississippi as GM/Market Manager. Prior to joining Seven Mountains Media, Bob served as General Manager for the Radio Advertising Bureau, overseeing its “National Radio Talent System”.
