Ch-ch-ch-chaaaaanges…
Rem Rieder says in regard to newspapers in a changing media environment: “The critical question isn’t how news is delivered. It’s what is delivered.”
Davis “Buzz” Merritt calls it “newspaper journalism”:
Given the inexorability and pace of technology, we may not need newspapers in our media mix at some point in the future–perhaps sooner than later. But we will need newspaper journalism, because democracy can thrive without newspapers, but it cannot thrive without the sort of journalism that newspapers uniquely provide.
According to Merritt, the qualities of newspaper journalism are:
- Its content is not shaped by a limiting technology.
- Its usefulness is based far more on completeness and clarity than immediacy.
- Its claim on credibility is based on it length and depth, which allow readers to judge the facts behind the story’s headline and opening summary paragraph and then look for internal contradictions.
- It has intrinsic value and relevance to people rather than merely amusing or entertaining them.
- Opinions and analysis are labeled as such and are presented separately.
Add to this the idea Tim Porter has been promoting: a newspaper’s franchise is local journalism. Be sure to read his Quality Manifesto.
Finally, check out the entry below to begin discovering how citizen journalists can play the game, too.
BTW, change is nothing new in journalism. For a good history of the American newspaper, read Discovering the News.
