The rise of digital platforms and social media has raised questions about whether more traditional platforms such as newspapers and time-boxed news on television and radio are still relevant.
With technology allowing for near-constant content delivery on computers and mobile devices, and the growing popularity of digital, many experts have sounded the death knell for traditional or “mainstream” media, as advertisers and the revenue they generate will move to other targets.
World News Day on September 28 is a global initiative to draw public attention to the role of journalists in providing reliable news and information to citizens, highlighting the value and importance of journalism and its essential role in everyday life.
Therefore, former journalist and news editor Nicholas Fang in Singapore believes that today is the right time to consider the role, importance and future of the media today and in the years to come.
Illustration: iStock
Mission of journalism
Fang entered journalism as a full-time print journalist in 1999, but he really got his start in the field in the early 1990s as an intern, or "journalist," as he was called at the time.
At that time, most news companies in Singapore and around the world had a core value of “informing, educating, entertaining and engaging” readers. This continued when Fang moved into news broadcasting at the end of his career in 2008.
ACT – accuracy, context and timeliness, in descending order of priority – serves as a guiding light for the journalists and editors Fang works with, emphasizing the mission of ensuring accurate and timely information is delivered, presented in an engaging and compelling format.
While Fang is certain that such journalistic values and spirit are still alive and well in many newsrooms in Singapore, the reality of the news business is that there are many other competitive pressures.
New challenges in the news industry
New challenges in the journalism industry include competing with other platforms for attention and traffic, and the ever-changing habits of readers, driven by the growth of technologies such as digital platforms, social media and mobile devices.
The change in habits, experts say, is reflected in shorter attention spans, a lack of demand for long-form content, whether printed or broadcast, and a particular preference among younger consumers for getting news from social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
This can be problematic because many such platforms favor and promote short content like videos that rarely delve into the details and nuances of an issue, and often emphasize “clickbait” aspects that may appeal to users, while those aspects are not always representative of the real issue at hand.
These trends have created tension between the mission and values of journalism and the need to attract readers, especially those who increasingly prefer non-traditional platforms to meet their news needs.
Without readers, what is the point of our mission to produce high-quality journalism? And worse, what if the lack of readers leads to reduced advertising revenue and financial pressure?
These challenges will make journalism and the news industry in general less attractive to young job seekers who may prefer a less arduous career path.
How important is quality journalism?
"Low-information voting," a phenomenon first observed and described by American political scientist Samuel Popkin in 1991, refers to the tendency to make electoral choices based on some superficial cue or inferential method rather than substantive information.
Taking advantage of this trend, some politicians have sought to please their constituency with content that focuses more on their image and brand, rather than the usual debates about policy and stances on important issues.
Other bad actors, both state and non-state, also seek to exploit this low information environment to manipulate people in other countries to further their goals.
This has led to the spread of misinformation. Misinformation can lead to national disruption and instability, as we saw in the 2016 US election, Brexit and most recently the outbreak of violence in the UK following the tragic murder of three young children in Southport in July this year.
Beyond politics, fake news can also create a fertile environment for related threats like scams, which are becoming increasingly common.
As the world becomes more complex and confusing, and people's ability to make important decisions is affected by the proliferation of misinformation, the role of mainstream, high-quality journalism will become more essential.
Some solutions
Efforts to address the problem of fake news require a multi-layered response involving government, law, education, and the work of other stakeholders such as independent fact-checking organizations and civil society.
In particular, the role of mainstream media and traditional news organizations cannot be underestimated.
Any news organization needs integrity that includes editorial oversight systems and processes, along with multiple layers of fact-checking to provide greater assurance than less professional platforms like social media.
The question is how journalism can regain and maintain its place in society as a trusted resource. In recent years, a number of solutions have been proposed by industry players, including focusing on producing products aimed specifically at digital audiences, and providing more video and photo content for users to consume on the go.
A key element will be a renewed emphasis on high-quality content and excellent journalism, whether in print or broadcast, that engages audiences with compelling storytelling about important issues. This must include fair and objective reporting, and a focus on bringing the truth to light.
It sounds simple, but it can be difficult to do if you're focused on driving traffic from a volatile audience or chasing ad dollars.
Given the important role of journalism and the news industry in every society, achieving this could be one of the most important goals for nations in the coming years.
Hoai Phuong (according to CNA)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/ngay-tin-tuc-the-gioi-chung-ta-co-con-can-tin-tuc-truyen-thong-khong-post314342.html
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