By Rabiatu Amin Adam
Digital technologies have charted revolutionary changes in journalism and fundamentally altered the nature and function of media in our society, reinventing age-old practices of public communication and at times circumventing traditional media and challenging its privileged role as gatekeepers of news and entertainment.
There are some scholars with the opinion that journalism is dead. Their argument stem from the fact that new technology of communication such as social media is blurring the line of traditional mass communication power and functions.
In reality, journalism is not dead rather it is changing as a result of new technology. Historically, what makes the field of mass communication, and journalism, as one of its genres is the evolving nature of the field, courtesy of technology. Technology has always been the propeller of the growth in the media industry and journalism.
There were similar arguments about the propensity of magazine killing newspaper when magazine was first established. Similar line of argument was also promoted as a result of evolution of television, thinking it will replace radio. However, the traditional media of communication have embraced one another with each leveraging on the strength of the other.
the advent of new technology of communication has converged all the traditional mass media. Convergence of mass media means journalism practice has to also change.
This is necessitated, partly, due to the migratory nature of mass media audience. No doubt, in journalism the audience is king. Contents are produced for the satisfaction of the audience. Today, the majority of mass media audience are on social media. Any journalist worth their union should also embrace this reality. Content are now produced not for one single platform but multiple media platforms. There is high level of multimedia content production as a result of convergence.
The way society consumes news and content has changed dramatically in the last decade. Never in human history have we been more connected, a testament to the advantages of a new, exciting digital age. The internet allows us to connect with everyone in the world in seconds, smartphones are supercomputers with high definition video capabilities in our pockets. Journalists no longer need to wait until the papers print to get eyes on their reporting, instead utilizing the ability to instantly write, record and distributes. Desktops have been replaced by laptops and notebook computers, the internet has created vast new sources of content linked around the world.
As technology advances, news outlets continue to rely on journalists to cover everything from breaking news to local event, including forums on public policy, board of education meetings, and elections, technology may be shaping the future of journalism, but it wont replace the need for qualified, experienced reporters, and also the digital technology era, the internet and social networks have given audiences and media sources the power to become media themselves.
Finally, in a technical sense, today all media are digital, the information are recorded and processed digitally.
Rabiatu Amin Adam
ID: 1392
Level: 300
