Welcome to the new world of journalism
By stevegarfield - 2/15/05 - 12:47 pm
Jeff Jarvis says, etch this in brass:
Welcome to the new world of journalism, where every witness to news can report the news, thanks to the internet; where every citizen can question the powerful, thanks to the internet; where every speaker can be a pundit, thanks to the internet. Journalism is no longer the closed society of the gatekeepers. Journalism can no longer just lecture; now it must listen. News is freed from the limitations of paper and schedules and reporters' pens. Journalists should welcome the help, for journalists should believe that more information yields a more informed society and that is our goal.
Comments
One local example
Yesterday, something went wrong on the Red Line. Thousands of people were inconvenienced - some had 15-minute commutes turned into hour-long travails. A riot almost broke out at the Central Square stop.
Here are links to first-hand accounts.
Where's the Globe story? The Herald story?
Citizen journalism in action! Now, it's not perfect yet. In an ideal world, somebody would've called up the MBTA to find out what had happened. But we're getting there. Hmm, wonder if anybody video'ed the Central action?
To be fair
"MBTA Provides Horrible Service" is not really a news story. A bigger story would be "MBTA Peforms Flawlessly - No Riders Inconvenienced". I mean, which event is more newsworthy?
-sco