There has been a lot of hand wringing in the journalism industry over the past several months. CBS News Sunday Morning recently aired two particularly thought provoking stories about the demise of the newspaper industry.
First, Jeff Greenfield reports on the demise of newspapers. Old school journalists are really upset that some major newspapers are shutting down their printing presses. They say they’ll miss the feel and “excitement” of holding a newspaper in their hands every morning.
For these folks, cheap paper + ink-stained fingers = journalism.
To their credit CBS News Sunday Morning did provide some balance with another insight into the changing delivery modes of journalism. The creators of this piece show us that what was once old, is now new again. And they argue, this might signal the return of the type of journalism that foster a new way of thinking and even a Revolution.
Just because printing presses are turning off, doesn’t mean journalism is dying. In fact, I would argue that journalism is reborn. No longer are we constrained by the monolithic corporations that made mass distribution possible.
Today, journalists have the opportunity to communicate information and ideas quickly and efficiently.
Ironically, when the printing press was invented many feared the downfall of civilized society was sure to follow. People were “too ignorant” to comprehend important topics like religion, politics and history.
But, the printing press made the bible available in more languages, accessible to the people. Historical texts were distributed to mass audiences. The people then, could educate themselves and draw their own conclusions.
Sure, some bad things came along with the printing press, but I sure wouldn’t want to go back to the days before the press.
The same is true of the Internet and the digital age we are entering.
Journalists should spend less time wringing their ink-stained hands, worrying about the demise of newspapers and more time focused on the future, learning how to use the new tools to deliver information to their audiences.
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