The times are swiftly changing. The world is rapidly shifting to the digital era were traditional norms of work have evolved to a brand new realm of efficiency, speed, and instatntaneous results. Cellphones, PDA's, Digital cams, and computers in general have found their way not only in the boundaries of work and business but also to the personal consumption, enjoyment, and utilization of the individual. these gadgets and gizmos has equalled the term efficiency and entertainment and for many, are very useful tools as they go by their day.

With these technology, it has now become easier to access and supply information. And with the use of the internet, sharing information with everyone is a button away.

In the media industry, digital technology has proven to be a brand new set-up in providing news and information. New media as it is known today, has incorporated all traditional forms of publication of news to produce a more updated, more packed, and faster news gathering and broadcasting.

And one of the breakthroughs of this digital era is the rise of online journalism. With the use of modern technology, online journalism aims to provide news on the internet utilizing the capabilities of video, audio, and text to transmit to the audience the feel of the story in all three senses.

The problem then comes in with the use of that very technology to provide the news. New Media is not a simple walk in the park that anyone can use instantly. You would have to be computer literate for starters. You would have to grasp the entirely different language that the computer uses. Another problem here in the country is the lack of adventurism when it comes to online publications. As we discussed in our Online journalism class, there is yet to be an online news publication that has a different set of staff and different set of news to provide. The picture is that today in the country, the onling publications are boxed to the practice of just digitizing their published or printed counter parts, which is just plain redundant.

Education is the key to make online journalism to actually function as it is designed to be. Both veteran and aspiring journalists should learn the practice in New Media to be able to utilize it in its full potential. But the problem also lies in providing the necessary education for it. Right now, there are only a small number of schools and universities that are equipped with the necessary facilities to support such education in new media. Aside from the facilities, there is also a great setback when it comes to updates in software and hardware required for some new programs to function. Aside from this, online journalism is thought in schools only as an elective course, meaning one can choose not to take it.

Online journalism has a wide horizon of potential. Sadly, it's being taken for granted and is being treated as a supplementary course which can be taken "kung gusto mo lang." For me, it is important to be knowledgable about this new practice in the evolution of media. Emphasis should be given that i should not just be an elective but a required course for journalism students or even be a brand new course itself under the field of Mass Communication.