Midterm

I read two articles with variances in their story-telling, but very similar in their content. The two articles that I read were, "The Associated Press Is Angry at the Web", by Rob Pegoraro and "Kachingle: "Wait until the summer; we'll save journalism then", by Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins.

After reading the two articles, I realized that I strongly agreed with what both of them had to say. The first article, written by Rob Pegoraro discusses why the print media (in particular the AP) is so pissed off at the ever growing phenomenon that is "online journalism" as I like to call it. Pegoraro discusses the various reactions to Associated Press chairmen Dean Singleton. Singleton was very angry in speech, saying, " We can no longer stand by and watch others walk off with our work under misguided legal theories. We are mad as hell, and we are not going to take it any more." Singleton is angry at Internet sites that both copy and paste entire news articles taken from the AP and also at sites that merely takes bits of information to use in their news stories. Throughout the article it becomes clear that Singleton is one of many print journalist members who are very, lets say displeased to see that print journalism is dying.
The second article I read, written by Mark Hopkins, is similar in the sense that it also conveys the anger that print media has towards the web. In the article, Hopkins discusses the idea of a start up company called Kachingle that " functions just like an ad network for bloggers, but instead it’s a communal donation network." He feels that could have been a solution to the dying print business IF it would have been done sooner, which it was not. Hopkins goes on to talk about how all the solutions that the Old Media have are " either self destructive or unavailable". Saying " they'd literally rather die than adapt."

At what may be one of the toughest times in the history of journalism to get a job, I will be honest, I am terrified. As a junior Broadcast Journalism major, I am having to realize -- whether I like it or not -- that the entire business that I am trying to work my way into is in decline. Now I know that broadcast is not being threatened with its demise, like print is, but who is to say that I would not want a job in print as well as many of my fellow classmates. All of this being said, I understand that things are changing. Why can't the rest of the bitter print media understand as well. All I ever hear from print journalists is how angry they are at every web page and blog they see. Get over it already. Since the beginning of time things have evolved. That's how the world works. We are at a point now that is tough, no doubt. But the thing that really bugs me is that the print world blames the bloggers and the web sites. It isn't their fault. If anything it is the fault of the newspapers who refused to change when they saw this new movement coming years ago.

I was listening to one of my favorite sports talk radio stations, ESPN radio. The host had previously written for a prestigious newspaper. Although the topic was sports writing, I feel it definitely applies to this topic. The host brought up a really good point. He said that reporters in print, including himself, should not be angry at the online media or digital world, but rather they should be angry at themselves -- for being lazy, stubborn, and arrogant. One example he explained was the idea of college basketball teams recruiting high school kids and how the print reporters at every newspaper who he talked to felt it was "beneath them" to cover petty high school kids. It turned out, covering petty high school kids made the online media over $100 million. This is why print reporters must lose their egos and think of a real plan.

There is no doubt that the changes currently occurring are scary, new, and intimidating but it is also a time to be open minded and realize that many new opportunities are opening up. I could take the approach of simply giving up -- realizing that I have no chance to get a job and try to get out of the field as quickly as I can. Or, I could take the approach of continuing to do what I love to do regardless of the times we are in. In the end, the most important thing to me is being able to be a journalist. Period. I choose to not worry about the adjective that comes before it.

Sources:

1. "Kachingle: "Wait until the Summer; we'll save journalism by then" By Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins

2. " The Associated Press Is Angry At The Web" By Rob Pegeraro.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2009/04/the_associated_press_is_angry.html