“The eruption and emergence of online journalism”

By Spencer Myler, September 3, 2021

The way that we as people view our news has changed drastically over the last 20 years and there has been a switch to using online platforms to spread stories and learn about events that are going on. It is now the internet and certain online platforms that are dominating the news due to new technology and how easily accessible it is to so many people. One of the problems that Bob Wyss, author of Covering the Environment (2008) points out with the quick transfer over to online news is, “While the internet can provide quick information at times, only some sites are reliable, further highlighting the need for responsible, professional journalism.” (2008,193). Social Media is the easiest way to access news in current times but it is easy to be deceived by news providers that may seem reliable and factual. 

Before talking about the issues regarding social media reliability, it is necessary to look at the overall growth of online news. Since the internet was created, it has always been considered a place that may be used to release news. Prior to 9/11, television was watched mostly to receive news but, “The realization of the internet’s potential as a news source in the U.S. occurred when the terrorist attacks struck New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.” (2008,195). This horrible event in our country created a need for more rapid, immediate news that reporters on television and newspapers could not keep up with. 

Traditional news has recently struggled with having the same ability of the Web to convey stories in a way that really grabs the attention of a reader. The internet allows for there to be added sounds, photographs, videos, and even links to other sites that are related to the topic in news stories. (2008,195). Journalists now need many more skills than in the past to be able to create an appealing news story. Many are doing what is called “backpack journalism” where they take notes for stories as well as try to take photos and videos that would interest a reader (2008,196).

Through the use of the internet, social media has become the main source of news for myself and my peers. Easily accessible apps on our phones such as Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat all have ways of spreading news stories through posts. In this day in age, “Understanding and using social media has become vital not just in journalism but in so many aspects of social life” (2008,199). It is possible to communicate things across whole countries and continents when using these apps and it allows for the majority of people to see things going on around the world. 

With all the benefits of social media and using the internet come negatives such as bias and unreliability. Anyone on an app can post things and gain traction from an audience regardless of how true it may be. This allows for the spread of fake news and misinformation. To add to this “Conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation run rampant on the internet, and it’s often difficult for people to tell what is true and what’s not. Social media companies are not exactly doing a bang-up job of addressing the problem, either” (Vox). In an age where electronics and social media are so important, there needs to be a way of filtering this harmful and false information so people are learning the truth about things.

Sources

Wyss, Bob. Covering the environment: How journalists work the green beat. New York: Routledge, 2008.

Stewart, E. (2020, December 22). America’s growing fake news problem, in one chart. Vox. Retrieved September 22, 2021, from https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/12/22/22195488/fake-news-social-media-2020.