Industry Forecast; the ever-evolving field of modern journalism

By Ryan, December 11, 2015

By Mayeesa Mitchell, Staff Writer//
A little over a month ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion with local journalism legends, Alan Johnson, Brian Clarey and Jeri Rowe. Hosted by Greensboro Community Television producer Brian Dunphy, the discussion centered around the future of print journalism and how technology is impacting the field.
Much of the discussion led to one realization- good journalism is great storytelling. It is when the storytelling is most vivid, intriguing and accurate that readers respond favorably and want to read more.
Although the journalists I was sitting amongst had a front row seat to the many changes within the field in recent years they, like myself, were mostly optimistic in believing the field of print journalism will continue to evolve.
As one of the oldest professions in American history and the only one expressly protected by the Constitution, journalism has been evolving for centuries. I was able to see the evolution first hand when I visited the News History Gallery at the Newseum in Washington D.C. In the 1800s, newspapers were much more editorial and over time grew to become the unbiased, strictly factual reporting we see today.
Despite changes over the years, journalism has continued to evolve but many people believe that technology is going to be the one thing to kill print journalism. Naturally, I disagree.
I see a bright future in journalism; a future that will involve in-depth storytelling, innovative interactive features and more personalized consumption of the news.
One thing that has always remained consistent in journalism is the necessity of someone with their boots on the ground conducting interviews, taking photos or videotaping to get the story. Whether that is done by a professional journalist who is seeking out a story or a citizen journalist who just happened to be in the right place at the right time, the basic facts about a story must be gathered to be reported on.
The most noticeable difference in the future of journalism will be the way news is disseminated. Although there will always be people who appreciate a printed paper, current trends indicate that the use of physical newspapers will continue to decrease as future generations are taught to look at computer and phone screens at younger ages.
To compete in the newly digitized age, making the news more personal to the individual will be extremely important and will help newspapers charge premium prices for their services. Much like streaming platforms Netflix and Hulu, news consumers should be able to create a list of their favorite journalists, newspapers and sections (life, travel, reviews, etc.) to create their own personalized newspaper.
The logistics of the evolution may take some time to discover but previous history has proved journalism will adapt to the needs of its consumers while managing to maintain its integrity. The evolution of journalism may change many things but it will never change the need for good storytelling, vigilant fact checking and the public’s desire to know what is going on in the world.