What's Happening to Journalism?

Recently a colleague with whom I am associated through an online group of journalists commented, "Journalism has actually grown aggressively, even exponentially, during the last decade, if the correct definition of journalism is applied." He is writing in reference to the ongoing shakeup that traditional journalism is undergoing, and the heat that traditional journalists are feeling as a result.

What Journalism Once Was...

I was struck by my colleague's mention of the "correct definition of journalism". While I agree that journalism has grown significantly, journalism is now not at all what it used to be, and is still subject to changes in technology and as the economy shakes itself out. Why such an easy reference to a "correct definition", when so many have been uneasily uprooted from the trade?

What Journalism Now Becomes...

We see the advent of smaller means of reporting through blogs the appearance of what some would call "news outlets of questionable stature" − such as the Huffington Post and the blatantly more obvious Fox News network. We also are inundated with information from the ever-rising ranks of the multitudes who fall under the general category of "citizen journalists".

Among all of this, the collective perception of what journalism is has changed drastically. On the business side, the loss of revenues once reserved exclusively for old-school printed newspapers has forced the old "rags" to significantly reduce their overhead - including laying off diehard writing staff.

These many changes among others, for better or worse have forced journalism to become something not at all what it once was. The very heart and soul of traditional journalism is witnessing an upheaval, − and right now there is no end in sight.

What is Journalism?

Keeping in mind my colleague's comments as to the "correct definition of journalism" - I cannot help but ask the obvious question: "What exactly is journalism?"

I asked my online colleague how he defined journalism. He didn't answer me, and the other old-school journalists looking on within the forum didn't answer either. I take this as their reaction to either one of two things: They know me either as one of the citizen journalists among their ranks, or they (more than likely) don't know now how to define journalism just now.

It seems now the greatest issue at hand is the ongoing disagreement among journalists and other key players as to what journalism actually is. One might take a stab at defining journalism now. But then add to this the definitions aligned with so many disparate interests − both personal and industry-specific − and you've got an even greater spread of disagreement.

An Expanded Definition of Journalism?

In recalling a more anachronistic era, the notion of classical journalism harkens up images of gumshoe reporters phoning in hastily scribbled or typewritten stories to an editorial desk. This is the kind of stuff that one sees on Turner Classic Movies (TMC) and the like. Gone are those days of such seeming simplicity.

What's not needed now is a new definition for journalism. Rather what we need is an open acceptance of what's to come - and of whatever those many forms will be.

Not Disparity, But Diversity

I think this disparity is what's at the heart of defining journalism.

Our collective perception of how journalism is defined must be proportionally enlarged to the forms that journalism is now taking on. From this high-level view, we can begin to see "the new journalism" not so much as a maddened frenzy of piranhas vying for a bite of fresh content, but an open floodgate of information made possible through a much easier access to the technology that allows literally anyone to create and share information in so many forms.

What was once defined as "the media" has become "multi-media". Nothing new in concept, yetsome thingever newin application.

No Longer "An Exclusive"

We now live amidst the days of fully accessible "multimedia" - technologies that lend themselves to a new journalism of many faces − not just available in plain text, but also as video, audio, graphics, slideshows, and more. Given these various media, and their increasing accessibility to the general public, almost anyone can now "produce copy".

For this reason, people produce content at any time, and anywhere. Where once the reporting channels had the exclusive means to capturing and reporting news and issues accessible to a privileged few, these same issues can now be brought to light by any Jane or Joe on the street.

Wait for The Big Shakeout

Given enough time, journalism will certainly shake itself out like a gumshoe in a new suit. However, the word gumshoe will no longer apply, and the rags he once wore years ago will be cut of a different - and likely strange - new cloth.