When I tell people that I am aspiring a career in the journalism industry people look at me like I am crazy. "That's a failing career field," they say. "You'll be out of a job before you even graduate college!" To these people I say, "Not so!"
Yes, it is true that journalism is becoming a Pro-Am career field. Editors and newspapers are increasingly hiring amateur writers for stories. Many people are getting their news on Facebook, twitter, or blogs. Think about it. How did you hear about the death of Osama Bin Laden? (http://tinyurl.com/3b6doao) According to this article, most of you heard about it from Facebook, or friends who were on Facebook. But where did the people posting it get their information?
That's right folks, journalists. We may not be your direct source of information any more, but we quiet voice behind it. Journalists provide the information for social media. Basically, we are the spark that creates the flame. According to this Newsonomics article (http://tinyurl.com/3vfoo8z) the need for journalist has changed from the ultimate informer to lead, listen, and lead. We are supposed to lead them to the news that is important, listen to the feedback we are to receive, and lead them again to the next important issue.
The demand for journalist may not be as high as it was twenty years ago, but then again, nothing is. I think that instead of constantly worrying about what is going to happen to us as the career field slims and changes we need to focus on what we should do to keep the career alive and in demand. We shouldn't hate technology because it is changing the way life works. Life is just a combination of all the changes we go through and our reactions to them. Technology has made advances in our field that were unimaginable ten years ago. Journalist now can film, edit, and post a video almost instantaneously. We are able to get more feedback than ever before. We are more connected, more up-to-date, and better equipped to provide information to the public than ever before. I think the best way to describe what I am trying to explain would be to take a look at my favorite video (http://tinyurl.com/cou86z). We should be grateful for the technology we have, and use it in the best way possible to help inform the public.
