March 4, 2009

Online Journalism

In the fast-paced life of today, every person needs everything instant-- food, coffee, and now, news.

For many centuries, news was printed on paper; advertising serving as its lifeblood.

Writing the news was specifically for journalists. What citizens talked about relied on what was disseminated on the TV, the radio, and the newspaper.

However, the internet has revolutionized the definition of and the role of the journalist. It has also altered the way news is written and disseminated. Practically anyone can now disseminate information as long as he or she has the connections. Internet connection, that is.

A cameraman is no longer necessary to record goings-on in important events. As long as one has a camera phone, he or she is considered well-equipped to get the news. In the Virginia Tech Massacre in the US, the importance of the camera phone was stressed when the shooting was recorded using the device. CNN used the footage as proof of what went on during the massacre.

The line dividing journalists and readers has been crossed. Even news shows on tv and the newspapers have extended services through posting the news onlline.

With this kind of shift in the media, what will become of journalism?

In a talk given by Sheila Coronel in the recent Centennial lecture series, she posed a challenge to the university to introduce online journalism, which she referred to as citizen journalism, if they want to "remain relevant in the Internet Age".

Click here to view PCIJ's post on Sheila Coronel's lecture

According to Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher of the late 6th century BCE, the world is in a constant state of flux. This means, people must learn to adapt and evolve along with the changes because it is inevitable.

Journalism students of the present time must be knowledgeable on Online Journalism because it is not merely a phase, it might probably be the new face of Journalism.