How the Economy and Technology Are Changing Our News
As much as the internet has changed our way of living, it has forever altered the media industry. People used to get their news from print newspapers that were delivered every morning or read new articles online on specific websites like CBS or CNN. Now, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are providing people with an easier way to stay updated about current events around the world. Although this is beneficial in some cases, there are downsides to this change; however, there are more benefits than disadvantages.
The Wall Street Journal wrote about how companies like Google or Facebook make money by selling advertising space around news stories on their site. The report “the reason these companies do so well is because they make getting ‘news’ free for consumers. Their business models are based on advertisers paying to place ads next to articles with ‘news’ stories that are read by consumers.” Even though users don’t have to pay for the site, many websites are still struggling to balance their budget with this new model of getting online news out there.
Because the majority of people use their phone as a primary source of news now, they tend to skim headlines and not even bother reading through an article fully. This allows only very scant information about events around the world to travel so fast. Another problem is fake news being passed off as real news or more specifically known as clickbait or hoaxes. These kinds of things can be dangerous because someone might misconstrue the facts without even realizing it.
Most people think that the best way to get news is through social media sites like Facebook or Twitter because these sites are constantly being updated with new articles from around the world, but this also provides consumers with a harder way to sift through credible sources and potentially fake content. This problem has been present in the industry for a while now and there isn’t really a solution on how to completely stop this issue from ever happening again.
Although social media is ruining our current generation of media news, some positive things have come out of this as well. In some cases, companies have developed apps meant for both listening to radio shows as well as watching YouTube videos from those same shows. These kinds of apps provide a more interactive experience than just listening to the radio or watching an entire broadcast on television.
This is one of many issues that affect this topic and there are so many different angles to take when talking about both the advantages and disadvantages of the media industry as well as all of its ramifications. Only time will tell how these changes will affect our future generations. For now, we can only keep up with technological advances that parallel those in society and simply enjoy every minute of it.
The news is changing in the digital age, and not just because of social media sites like Twitter. The costs of reporting are increasing at a time when revenue for newspapers has decreased dramatically. These changes have forced many journalists to seek alternative employment or develop digital strategies that will attract younger audiences.
Labour costs for producing newspapers vary from one publication to another, but generally speaking, they rise every year. That means newspaper companies must either find a way to generate more revenue or reduce expenses.
Newsroom employees aren’t paid as handsomely as athletes and Hollywood stars, but they make significant salaries all the same. In 2010, reporters averaged about $62K year while photographers made around $47K. In some cases, a Pulitzer Prize or other achievement can lead to a substantial salary boost, but most reporters and photographers make their money from the paper they work for.
With some notable exceptions, advertising revenue has been falling since 2005 while circulation has dropped every year since the Internet became popular in 1994. The amount of people reading newspapers online is rising all the time, but that doesn’t offset the loss in subscriptions and advertising dollars.
The result is fewer jobs for journalists along with smaller salaries and benefits packages. There’s also little room left for error when it comes to judgment calls because bad decisions can get a newspaper sued by particularly litigious sources or get its employees fired.
All in all, it’s a tough time in the world of newspapers. Many journalists have responded by leaving for other jobs or creating their own online news outlets via syndication. Others see opportunity despite the hardships and get to work finding ways to increase circulation and attract new readers.
In conclusion, the digital age has changed how we get our news but also presents both challenges and opportunities for journalists working today.
As much as the internet has changed our way of living, it has forever altered the media industry. People used to get their news from print newspapers that were delivered every morning or read new articles online on specific websites like CBS or CNN. Now, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are providing people…