New Media Journalism, the Changing phase.

Journalism has always been recognized as a credible profession. As every single source that it publicizes need to be verified before a statement were given, its reliability is among of the highest in daily information sources. However, the new technology has slowly overtaken the traditional way of approaching journalism, coming out with new media journalism. Nowadays, especially significant in big cities, paper-printed press and newspaper has slowly lost its popularity. In the other hand, electronic news has been widely accepted for its convenience, price and environmental friendlier since it saves the use of paper.

Although the popularity of printed newspaper has gone down, it is still accepted in certain group of people. This is due to the credibility and richness of news that it always holds to. Especially for broadsheet press, they have never compromised about verifying source reliability. Perhaps every single statement that it gives were seen and checked by thousand of readers, to make sure it doesn’t spread rumours and fake information. Most of the big companies require their public relations or communication department to check every day press so that every single story the press publishes in the newspaper does not spoil their company’s reputation. Any unverifiable or untrue statement will be brought to court to protect their reputation. We have seen plenty of slander court cases in local and also in other countries. To tackle with such heavy pressure, journalists have to bear in mind that every single word written is attached with proof and evidence. Pro and cons. Pro is that the press keep to its credibility to every single details, whereas cons is the newspaper attain less sensational elements as most of the news published must be from verifiable sources.

However, the electronic news receives a different treatment. The electronic news are seen as instant, convenient and sensational. Compared to the printed press, electronic publishing did not get much control from government regarding it source reliability. Often the news was more casual in writing style. It is more like telling you stories that happened around you, rather than reporting details. Adding that recent new media journalism has blend with stories from blogs, commentaries, social networking and online news. And yet, everyone can write their own stories, and their speculation regarding the issue. Recent happening of missing flight MH370 show how viral that fake information and rumour can spread through electronics. Basically everyone has their own opinion and their own speculation regarding the issue, and they will write their thoughts and ideas of how things happen. Some of them even created stories that the missing plane was found and passengers were saved. Readers could have shared these false information to their social networks and to those people around them. Thus, electronic news do not receive high credibility as compared to printed news when readers realize that not all news from the electronics are reliable. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why people still choose printed news over the electronic news. Nevertheless, some of the print-news press developed their very own electronics news in order to follow the new media journalism trend. Their electronic news were synchronized with the news that are going to be published in the printed. Thus these electronic news were also referred as credible news sources. And more people are going for electronic news subscription due to it’s lower price, conveniency and instant.

Although there are certain people still holding to print-newspaper, but the prints did not show positive and promising numbers in its popularity and market in recent years. If you ask me what’s my opinion regarding the future od the prints, I would say that it will end and become a history or even antiques someday. The electronic journalism will totally overtake its market. But the unknown is, how long will it take for that to happen? My guess, perhaps in 10 to 15 years. By the time, probably the new media journalism will change into another form.