News Wars, 4th Hour

Chapter 18: “Info Snacking”

1. Chapter 18: “Info Snacking” explains how today most Americans get their news from television but on the other hand hard news is decreasing. The clip states how cable originated for 24 hour news but now, since 2000, television reporting is changing dramatically with the aging of its audience and the different outlets one can get their news by. In order to reach out to the 20 to 30 age group the head of 60 Minutes realized broadcast journalism has to go online. Now 60 Minutes works with Yahoo to get the younger audience to pay attention to news. The stories that appear on Yahoo right now are usually the lighter stories or the stories that did not make it on air. The stories are chopped up purposely to appeal to Yahoo’s younger audience. “Info Snacking” is typically when the younger audience will read a part or a piece of a story and follow the link attached to read the next thing. Yahoo will take pieces of what they get from 60 Minutes; chunking them together producing a two to four minute piece. Another argument is that Google is the key to linking America to news. Today, people want news when they want it and will get it from where they want it, even if that means making it themselves. Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, states that in five to 10 years there will be a new kind of reporting. This new type of reporting will consist of bloggers, online reporters and man on the street.

I think that having broadcast journalism online is a good idea. I agree with 60 Minutes that if people want to get their news from the internet then they should be able to. If there is going to be broadcast journalism online then I don’t think it should just be the news that was not aired that day. Every person watches the news for different reasons, meaning news stations are going to have to put everything they cover online or their audience will go somewhere else to get what they want. People do not always just want the fluff news; they want to know what is happening in the world. I agree with the news going online, but I do not think blogging and the man on the street should be considered journalism, the reason being that it may not be factual information. I don’t necessarily think that online broadcast should be the only way people can get their news but they should have the option to.

This chapter’s argument in connection to blogging is just that in the next few years blogging might be one of the primary ways we get our news. With old reporting styles slowly declining and more people wanting their news online there is going to have to be changes in reporting style. With reporting style changing this leads to more bloggers and online journalist springing up.


Chapter 19: “The Universe of Online Media”

1. The main argument of “The Universe of Online Media” is whether or not blogging and citizen journalism should be considered an act of Journalism. Jeff Jarvis, Blogger of BuzzMachine argues that anyone can be a journalist. One does not have to go to school or work for a news station or newspaper to be considered a journalist. An example given by a reporter interviewing Jarvis is, if a teenager is walking down the street and witnesses’ news then takes a picture of it on his or her cell phone is he or she is performing an act of journalism? Jarvis states that yes, if you are finding something out that the world wanted to know, and you are telling them, then you are performing an act of journalism. Jarvis feels that anyone with a laptop can be a reporter. Rocketboom is a website that includes short, daily webcast of news and humorous feature stories that are presented in a mock television news style. The people who run this website explain sometimes they have a million viewers, which is, in some instances, as many viewers as cable news channels. They never considered themselves journalist but other people consider what they do acts of journalism. On the other hand there are people who disagree when it comes to anyone being able to be a journalist. Nicholas Lemann, Dean of Columbia University of Journalism, believes that citizen journalism and blogging is valuable but does not think it produces lots and lots of information. Lemann compares blogs to church newsletters stating no one is against them but they are more like a community bulletin board. He argues that bloggers are not going out and searching for information whereas journalists are. Lemann believes that blogs and citizen journalism are not that reliable or original. The other argument is that bloggers can pick up information that other news sources miss, for example what happened at Strom Thurmond’s 100th Birthday.

I think that blogging and citizen journalism stems from Journalism but I would not say that it is Journalism per se. Journalism, I would think by definition is not something one just knows or can pick up. Most well known journalists had to get a degree in Journalism before they could start practicing in their profession. I mainly agree with Lemann’s argument when he says that blogs and citizen journalism are not always reliable and not always original. Many blogs are merely a list of opinions and comments. People write how they feel about a particular topic while giving their reasons for their feelings. Also, in many instances blogs and citizen journalism are not doing the reporting themselves. They get their information from other news sources whose journalist have done the researching and reporting. I think saying that anyone who writes or takes pictures of news is a journalist is similar to saying anyone who cares for someone when they are sick is a doctor.

In connection to blogging, there are the opinions that blogging can be a news sources while others say it is not accurate. Some argue that people can get their news from citizen journalism and blogging websites while others think it is more for humor and discussion.

2. After watching these News War Chapters and reading about blogging I think that the future of blogging is going to grow and develop over the next decade. Today, more than ever people are all about technology. People have cell phones and i-pods that connect to the Internet giving people easy access to get their news literally in the palm of their hand and within seconds. People want to get information when they want it or when they need it. They do not want to have to wait until the evening news to find out information when they can go online and get it right then. With the advancement of the Internet and technology, as well as with news stations using the Internet more to get their information, it can only mean that the future of blogging is just the beginning of what is to come for this century.