new media proliferation

8/7/2019 New Media Proliferation

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New Media and EthicsNew Media and Ethics



Jour nalism is ev olving rapidly in a mixedJour nalism is ev olving rapidly in a mixedmedia of t raditi onal newspape rs andmedia of t raditi onal newspape rs and

broadcast stati ons c ombined with a newbroadcast stati ons c ombined with a newmedia of onmedia of on--line j our nalists.line j our nalists.



T hese devel opments in j our nalism a reT hese devel opments in j our nalism a redriven by vast ec onomic and techn ologicaldriven by vast ec onomic and techn ologicalchanges. S ome of these t rends havechanges. S ome of these t rends haveprofou nd ethical impact on j our nalism.profou nd ethical impact on j our nalism.

T his p resentati on p rovides a b rief T his p resentati on p rovides a b rief

desc ription of some t rends that impact ondesc ription of some t rends that impact on jour nalism ethics. jour nalism ethics.



I ss ue of credibility ..I ss ue of credibility ..

While s ome j our nalists t urn t o t ranspa rency t o While s ome j our nalists t urn t o t ranspa rency t o justif y the claims in thei r rep or ts, othe rs have justif y the claims in thei r rep or ts, othe rs haveres or ted t o a m uch m ore ca reless form of writing,res or ted t o a m uch m ore ca reless form of writing,dubbed j our nalism of asse rtion.dubbed j our nalism of asse rtion.Many bl ogs and independent eMany bl ogs and independent e- -zines, lacking anzines, lacking aneng rained sense of duty t o the t ru th or t o reade rs,eng rained sense of duty t o the t ru th or t o reade rs,have devel oped a j our nalistic style of have devel oped a j our nalistic style of uns ubstantiated opinion. I deas a re acc rued anduns ubstantiated opinion. I deas a re acc rued andthen restated, with ou t rega rd t o thei r or igin or then restated, with ou t rega rd t o thei r or igin or f act uality.f act uality.



Some iss uesSome iss uesT he f act that in formati on can be s o easilyT he f act that in formati on can be s o easilyaccessed and then redist ributed on the inte rnet accessed and then redist ributed on the inte rnet has lent itsel f t o yet an othe r t rend: q uesti oninghas lent itsel f t o yet an othe r t rend: q uesti oningthe val ue of copyright.the val ue of copyright.Copyright has l ost its val ue. A blogge r s j ob is t o Copyright has l ost its val ue. A blogge r s j ob is t o sp read ideas. T hey may be our ideas or the g reat sp read ideas. T hey may be our ideas or the g reat ideas of othe rsideas of othe rs bu t bl ogging gives anbu t bl ogging gives anunpa ralleled way of passing th ose ideas on t o unpa ralleled way of passing th ose ideas on t o

othe rs . . . the reas on we w rite is n ot t o cont ro lothe rs . . . the reas on we w rite is n ot t o cont ro lour ideas, n ot t o loo k cleve r. We w rite t o add our our ideas, n ot t o loo k cleve r. We w rite t o add our ideas t o the gl obal disc ussion.ideas t o the gl obal disc ussion.



Changes in news media audiencesChanges in news media audiences

T he p ro lif eration of news ou tlets means that a udiences canT he p ro lif eration of news ou tlets means that a udiences canread and watch thei r news on va riou s channels and webread and watch thei r news on va riou s channels and websites. I n othe r words, media a udiences have fragmented.sites. I n othe r words, media a udiences have fragmented.No longe r does an overwhelming maj or ity of Canadians sit No longe r does an overwhelming maj or ity of Canadians sit

down in the evening t o watch one or two maj or TV

down in the evening t o watch one or two maj or TV

newscasts. Pe ople get thei r news updated th rou gh ou t thenewscasts. Pe ople get thei r news updated th rou gh ou t theday, when they want it. T hey s urf the web t o f ind theday, when they want it. T hey s urf the web t o f ind thest or ies that inte rest them. S ome desc ribe these nichest or ies that inte rest them. S ome desc ribe these nicheaudiences as impatient, rem ote c ont ro l audiences, wh o audiences as impatient, rem ote c ont ro l audiences, wh o want the in formati on they re seeking with ou t delay andwant the in formati on they re seeking with ou t delay and

withou t additi onal, uns ou ght news.withou t additi onal, uns ou ght news.I n resp onse, m ore and m ore news ou tlets cate r t o smalle r I n resp onse, m ore and m ore news ou tlets cate r t o smalle r and smalle r dem ographics or niches.and smalle r dem ographics or niches.



Convergence of mediaConvergence of media

T he fragmentati on of the news a udienceT he fragmentati on of the news a udiencehas p rompted s ome maj or newshas p rompted s ome maj or newsorganizati ons t o attempt t o reorganizati ons t o attempt t o re--assemble aassemble alarge news a udience by p roviding newslarge news a udience by p roviding newsac ross many media plat forms.ac ross many media plat forms.

Meanwhile, j our nalists a re urged t o emb raceMeanwhile, j our nalists a re urged t o emb racemultimulti--media rep or tingmedia rep or ting ---- the ability t o rep or t the ability t o rep or t for print, b roadcast and the inte rnet.for print, b roadcast and the inte rnet.



Bus ine ss Val u e sBus ine ss Val u e s

Since many news c ompanies a re p ubliclySince many news c ompanies a re p ubliclyf inanced c orporations, news roo m owne rs or f inanced c orporations, news roo m owne rs or thei r seni or sta ff may f eel the p ress ure of thei r seni or sta ff may f eel the p ress ure of invest orinvest or --friendly q uarte rly rep or ts.friendly q uarte rly rep or ts.I nside the news roo ms, j our nalists may f indI nside the news roo ms, j our nalists may f indthemselves in c onf licts of inte rest themselves in c onf licts of inte rest ----

rep or ting on ec onomic and othe r issues that rep or ting on ec onomic and othe r issues that may have a di rect a ff ect on inte rests of thei r may have a di rect a ff ect on inte rests of thei r news c orporation.news c orporation.



S ome of the po s itive and negative effect s:S ome of the po s itive and negative effect s:

F arF ar--reaching change usually has p ositivereaching change usually has p ositiveand negative e ff ects. T he same is t rue of and negative e ff ects. T he same is t rue of

recent t rends in j our nalism.recent t rends in j our nalism.



Some p ositive e ff ects of changeSome p ositive e ff ects of change

I nte ractivity: I nc reased ability of the p ublic t o actively sea rch for I nte ractivity: I nc reased ability of the p ublic t o actively sea rch for thei r own in formati on and t o inte ract online with news web sitesthei r own in formati on and t o inte ract online with news web sites

I nc reased p ublic access t o diff erent forms and types of media; accessI nc reased p ublic access t o diff erent forms and types of media; access

t o a g reate r dive rsity of content t o a g reate r dive rsity of content Reduced gatekeeping p owe rs of maj or news organizati ons; less Reduced gatekeeping p owe rs of maj or news organizati ons; less

powe r t o set the news agenda or manip ulate the p ublic spowe r t o set the news agenda or manip ulate the p ublic sunde rstanding of events.unde rstanding of events.

New and p owe rfu l st ory New and p owe rfu l st ory--telling meth ods th rou gh m ultitelling meth ods th rou gh m ulti--mediamediatechn ologytechn ology

Conve rgence in news may mean m ore res our ces t o probe iss ues Conve rgence in news may mean m ore res our ces t o probe iss ues



Some negative e ff ects of changeSome negative e ff ects of change ::

Lack of rest raint am ong online w rite rs Lack of rest raint am ong online w rite rs Press ure t o lowe r ethical standa rds and Press ure t o lowe r ethical standa rds and

sensati onalize st or iessensati onalize st or ies Confusion ab ou t wh o is a j our nalist, when Confusion ab ou t wh o is a j our nalist, when

any one can p ublishany one can p ublish Ethical c once rns rega rding news val ues, Ethical c once rns rega rding news val ues,

newsw or thiness, c redibility. What standa rdsnewsw or thiness, c redibility. What standa rdsare app ropriate for this new mixed media ?are app ropriate for this new mixed media ?



TH E ENDTH E END

new media proliferation

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