The state of journalism today

I’ve recently been discussing in online forums a trend that many have been observing in journalism: Recently, there has been a proliferation of so-called “content providers” that carry no real writing credentials, and in many cases, produce articles that don’t even carry a byline. This is an especially big issue in critical journalism, notably, covering luxury products and services where special expertise and connoisseurship are required.

Need proof? I encourage you to read this: “AOL is building a ‘newsroom of the future’ reported BusinessWeek, which tells journalists what readers want and what brings in ad revenue,” Let’s be clear: the pursuits of journalism and the pursuits of publishing aren’t the same. Journalists seek to create compelling information that is helpful and news-worthy. Publishing seeks to push more product, deliver higher circulation value, and create more value for sponsors/advertisers/money-holders.”
Case in point: I recently met with a very talented and experienced editor of a major newspaper chain. She told me that the paper is eliminating all section editors and she will become a reporter, writing content for various platforms (i.e. radio, website, print, social media). In other words, just another content provider.

Similarly, a bill almost passed in Florida and is under consideration in other states that would not compensate teachers for additional education or years of experience. That is happening throughout different industries where there’s no special compensation (or incentive) for expertise or experience.

What’s next?

By: Karen Weiner Escalera