How the Marriage of Traditional and New Media Benefits Journalists and Audiences Alike
In the past the relationship between journalists and their audiences was simplistic in nature. Journalists provided content and audiences consumed it. However, this type of relationship is a thing of the past. New forms of communication have ignited a revolution in how content is produced and distributed.
Omar Jimenez, Soledad O’Brien, Dan Rather. All three of these journalists represent different eras in the evolution of news. Dan Rather was a reporter whose career developed in the age before social media; Soledad O’Brien’s career has taken place during the rise of social platforms; and lastly, Omar Jimenez is a journalist who has entered the field in the digital age.
Despite the difference in eras, all three of these journalists have something in common; they are all present and active on social media.
Active audiences are changing the landscape of news. What was once a one-sided relationship is now one that can be classified as symbiotic. Journalists and audiences are now connected through the simple touch of a screen.
According to Pew Research, around 70% of Americans “use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information, and entertain themselves.”
The exchange of information taking place across social media platforms has given journalists a level of access that was once unheard-of. Instead of only producing content driven by a news director’s idea of what the public needs to know, we can now also produce content driven by what the public desires to know.
The ability to directly tap into the interests of audiences is an incredible advantage of social media. Discovering stories that may have otherwise gone unseen is also a major advantage.
As a young journalist, one of my personal contributions to newsrooms and media outlets has been finding newsworthy content via social media. I learned early during internships that mixing traditional and new media is one of the keys to being a well-rounded and successful journalist.
Aside from being an avenue for the exchange of newsworthy content, social media also allows audiences to build a direct relationship with the journalists they trust. In the era of “fake news” building a trusting relationship with your audience is a major factor in this field.
An example of the merging of traditional and new media is CNN’s coverage of the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Omar Jimenez, a CNN reporter on the ground in Minneapolis, was arrested by Minnesota State Patrol live on television. Audiences immediately responded to his arrest via social media.
It didn’t take long for news organizations such NPR, The New York Times, Vox, and USA Today to pick up the story. A quote from a USA Today article reads, “The incident has sparked backlash on social media, including towards a statement posted to Twitter from the Minnesota State Patrol, which has garnered more than 12,000 responses and 7,000 retweets.”
An incident that occurred on a traditional media platform sparked conversation in the digital realm; in response to the audience on social media, traditional platforms produced content related to the interest of the audience. The relationship is solidly symbiotic. Omar Jimenez also documented the incident on his Twitter account along with the rest of his coverage of the protests in Minneapolis.
Due to the changes in how news in consumed, journalists must adapt to the digital age. In my opinion, the positive aspects of this change outweigh the negative. The accessibility of journalists and their audiences allows for a direct line of communication that builds trust and allows for reporting to be a two-sided interactive effort.
