The push and pull between mainstream, traditional media and new media is becoming stronger, particularly with government involvements in foreign countries. In this piece by Arianna Huffington, she details how many traditional journalists consider the experience of being there crucial to their reporting, and that being there comes at a cost.
While that isn't wrong, it doesn't mean that new media doesn't do that as well. One advantage that new media has that traditional media doesn't is access to their audience. New media makes their audience a part of their news team, opening up a new platform to have more information at their disposal.
The presence that New York Times columnist Roger Cohen was referring to is the presence that is given to the traditional media. When a government is controlling your access, they can control the message and content of stories.
The presence that new media is able to get a hold of can be infinitely more valuable. First hand accounts from people who are in the areas that are being blocked off from tradition media can give a much better idea of what is truly happening on the ground.
When the government controls the ground coverage, they can spin it anyway they want. With first hand accounts going to new media, that control is taken away. It is raw, pure information. That's scary for countries trying to quell their people.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Independent Media
Welcome to my blog for Special Topics in Journalism: Independent Media! Here I will be sharing my thoughts on our course material and important issues facing independent media today. Enjoy!
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