“I still believe that if your aim is to change the world,
journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon.” – Tom Stoppard
Journalism is one of the most important fields in a
democratic society. Quality journalism not only ensures that people stay informed
about important current events, it also has the potential to make people react,
organize and demand changes when needed.
Nonetheless, journalism, and especially the future of
journalism, is often misjudged and misunderstood. Last year for example, The
Daily Beast – a news reporting and opinion website – published a list called
“20 Most Useless Degrees.” Journalism was number one on the list.
While it may be true that a career in journalism may not be
a high-paying one ($35,800 per year median starting salary according to The
Daily Beast), journalists perform a job that is indispensable to every society
– to inform the people about what is happening in their community and around
the world. Many journalists even risk their life by providing news to the
public. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in 2011, 86 journalists and media workers were killed and 179 were jailed worldwide.
There is no doubt that journalism has changed over the last
few years, but it is certainly not going away or losing its significance, as
some may claim. The changes occurring in the field of journalism need to be
looked at with a positive attitude. These changes, such as the rise of
multimedia journalism and the use of social media in the newsroom, should be
looked at as exciting and challenging advantages, not as obstacles to the
future of journalism. They challenge journalists to adapt to changes in
technology and to expand their opportunities in ways they might not have
expected, such as by looking for new means to use their skills and knowledge when
bringing the news to the public. After all, challenge is good, and for journalists,
it should be embraced as an opportunity to open their mind by creating new and
better ways to communicate with their audience. Besides, life would be quite boring
without challenges.
Hence, this blog will be dedicated to providing news,
resources, information, advice and tips about the wonderful and challenging
field of journalism.
To start with, here is a link to a brilliant response to The Daily Beast’s list from the people at 10,000 Words (a great website dedicated
to journalism and technology). Enjoy!
