Citizens often first to report breaking news
Old school journalism is making way, amid evolving technology, for new school journalism that is all about short, fast snippets of information from private citizens — not just professional journalists.
Now, people can see what’s going on in the world in real time. Private citizens are often primary sources right at the scene — recording and commenting on events directly on the web.
In the age when distrust of the media is growing, the younger generation has come to rely on physical evidence such as firsthand accounts or video.
While some people may believe that younger people have no interest in what’s going on in the world, in fact this generation is one of the most knowledgeable of all.
This is possible thanks to the fast access to news the internet affords.
The news may not arrive in the form of a print article that’s been combed through by multiple editors.
However, it is reporting the accounts and events of what happened. It is then up readers to dig further into the story to gain the details they want.
I support citizen reporting because it is an unfiltered and unaltered report of events happening instantly.
Politics has also turned toward social media, allowing this younger generation to hear directly from national and international politicians themselves.
Millennials are constantly flooded with new reports of events all around the world, big or small.
Rather than questioning whether old school or new school journalism is the right way, we should be asking how can we ensure a rapid-paced flow of information while having the sources and factchecking for genuine reporting.