Thursday, August 28, 2008

Adapting to Change

Today's journalism is edgy, new, and always changing. What was once defined by simple black and white newspaper articles, has since evolved into colorful and dynamic websites that offer news in every style. Anyone, whether he is a trained journalist or not, can log onto a site and offer his opinion and state what he feels is news. While this new style of journalism creates a dialogue and allows anyone to interact and experience the news, this new style also offers some of the greatest challenges to young journalists today.
Young journalists today must be trained in every craft. Competition is stiff. It's not enough to only be a great writer or great on-camera. Most networks and newspapers have created online outlets to survive. So in order for journalists to succeed, they must understand the importance and have experience in online outlets.
Another obstacle young journalists face with this new style is the ability for anyone to participate in these online outlets. You no longer have to be schooled in journalism to be considered a journalist. Anyone who has access to the Internet has the ability to post anything he finds newsworthy. With this ability, often people fail to publish accurate or appropriate material. It is important journalists continue to adapt and publish honest, ethical work. This will keep us separate from bloggers and the untrained.

Elizabeth McHugh-Sivore is a junior broadcast journalism student. She is from St. Louis, Missouri but spends the majority of her time in Los Angeles. She is passionate about sports, especially USC Football and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.

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