Online Journalism

The everyday American’s life can be compared to that of a few L.A. drivers on the freeway. That is, while the speed limit says 65 miles per hour the temptation to travel 80+ miles per hour takes over. We want to get home—now. We want our non-fat, iced macchiato--now. We want our music on our iPods—now. We want fun. And well, appropriately, we want it now.

This trend is also apparent with our yearning for information. Today, cable and wireless Internet has long replaced the dial-up modem. And that means the World Wide Web finds that it has become the place of residence for the vast amount of information that we, the consumers, seek--whether that be for a sense of community, work, or to fulfill our desire to know random, useless facts.

And because fast, now, community, and information are terms we live by online journalism has also properly found its place as a Web inhabitant. And online journalism is found in many forms, including blogs. But for the sake of argument, here I am referring to news sites that are not related to newspapers or the local television news stations, despite their notable presence on the Internet. Instead I'm referring to sites like the Drudge Report and Slate.com

Online Journalism as an Enigma

Public mistrust of conventional forms of journalism (i.e. newspapers and television) creates a pile-up of pressure for reporters today. But journalists have another issue to worry about before they click and post any more stories on the web. They need to consider the drawbacks of pressing onward into cyberspace while disregarding the public’s inherent distrust of the media.

In what was called the Online Credibility Survey Belo Interactive, the Associated Press Managing Editors and the Ford Foundation conducted a study in order to find out how credible respondents believe news on the Internet can be.

To conduct the survey, Belo Interactive separated the 1649 respondents and their answers by age group (15-25, 26-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65+). Each age group reported that the most credible form of journalism was found in newspapers—not the Internet, which found its low believability similar to that of radio and television.

As for the layout to online news sites all you can say is, “Ugh!” as annoying and almost persistent pop-up ads beckon you to sign up for free ring tones. The survey reported the following about the connection between credibility and those ads:

- For Internet users 15-25 years old, 79 percent thought pop-up ads make an online news site less credible.
- For Internet users 26-34 years old, 71 percent thought pop-up ads make an online news site less credible.
- For Internet users 35-44 years old, 70%...
- For Internet users 45-54 years old, 70%...
- For Internet users 55-64 years old, 69%...
- For Internet users 65 years old and above, 62%...

The respondents also overwhelmingly reported that if they had to, they would not be willing to pay for online news.

In an article for the Online Journalism Review Mark Glaser says that online news sites are only getting “hits”, or views” because of their flashy appearance rather than competent writing style and substance. And while Internet users are reading these futile, rushed reports from online journalists news sites are getting rewarded on the backbone of the technically savvy.

Jim Lowney, also for the Online Journalism Review, reports his frustration with Internet news is their inability to communicate to the public what happens locally. He shows his frustration by saying, "Online journalism is so often a mirror of poor newspaper coverage instead of the fresh source of information that it should be -- like detailed local news."

Online journalism, currently, is in fact harmful to the world of journalism as a whole. It shows a lack of responsibility in regards to public opinion. And yes, public opinion does matter. Nobody wants a careless and lazy watchdog guarding his or her home. And to the public that’s exactly what we are.

Let out a whimper, a yelp. If we continue to push forward without looking back to adjust the public's faith in journalism we're surely headed to the pound.


On the Other Hand, Online Journalism is a Benefactor...

No one should have to twist your arm for you to admit that you want fun (or maybe even the school year to end)—and you want it now. Yes, déjà vu.

But just like you want fun, when you want new, breaking information you want it without delay. And that’s why online journalism is so beneficial.

According to a conference between journalists from the Poynter Institute, online journalism has a set list of guidelines it follows that is almost identical to the guidelines followed by a newspaper reporter. Under a section entitled the Role of Journalism in the Digital Age it is reported:

“No matter what the platform, the primary mission of journalism is to provide information that gives meaning and context to the events that shape our lives, our communities, our world. In doing so, we hold powerful interests accountable and remain true to our mission of public service through fair and accurate reporting.”

Mindy McAdams teaches online journalism at the University of Florida and she agrees that online journalism has the same authority as traditional news outlets. She says, “I disagree that Web sites suffer from looser standards. Most of the borderline material I have seen or heard about is on TV, usually cable channels, or non-mainstream Web sites. The mainstream journalism Web sites are managed pretty much the same as their associated print and broadcast products. The differences are quite small.”

The report by the Poynter Institute states further that it is the public who chooses the way in which they are informed. And in the same Online Credibility Survey given by Belo Interactive (mentioned above), the study found that 73% of the respondents wanted news quickly online, even if details were left out in a report.

Even still, the public’s view of the press is on the rise according to a study of media credibility by Northern Illinois University. And though the public rates the credibility of online media similar to that of other media, the study found it was actually journalists who rated online media as having lower credibility.

And that holds true with the idea that we are our own worst critics.

But, online journalism is a beneficial part of the public's information gathering. It gives the public what it wants, when it wants it.
Whether it's the latest news in Iran or who won Dancing with the Stars.

The only problem is you can't get away with spilling the coffee on the computer.