Networked Journalism in the Mass Media Age …surely that’s nothing new?

Well here we are again with another entry, which I fear will ask more questions than it answers. This post will also jump on a bandwagon mentioned in my previous entries; as I shall be looking at how things have changed due to the new media and how these developments are still evolving with no clear idea where they will go.

Whatever is happening I believe passionately that networks and journalism cannot exist without each other. However, when I say networks I am not really talking about computer and internet networks, I am literally talking about listening to people and developing a book of contacts as well as an excellent knowledge in a subject or geographical area. Yet, the interactivity of the internet must assist in the worlds of networking and journalism. My previous entries have explored user-generated content and how the general public can help in sourcing footage, commentary and stories for news outlets, yet I would argue that networking is taking this communication to the next level.

The news media will always have monitored groups of interest and departments to gain storied, well this can be made easier with information on the internet on various websites, forums, group spaces, online searches and social networking sites. Therefore I would argue that the new media has given journalists an extra arena to network. Not only can we see news organisations using the new media to provide information about their news stories along with details of their other outputs, they can use the new media to help find some of the stories that they report and investigate. What must still remain at the centre of journalism in this day and age is a checking of the facts in a story. It may have become easier to source stories and/or information but there is always potential for inaccuracies, anyone connected to the internet can write on the web with it appearing within minutes.

Therefore, the modern day journalist must act as a gatekeeper continually checking their stories and regularly making editorial decisions about content and the news worthiness of a story. The Web2 has given users greater access to ways to contribute to the internet and stories making opinions and views easier to track down with items being shared quickly which means any mistakes can be read/watched/consumed within seconds, thus forcing journalists to carry on checking their stories which cannot often be possible to do via the new media.

So journalism and networking seem inseparable and new ways of networking are continually emerging with the ever evolving new media, yet I do not see this as an excuse to let standards fall. My blog posts so far comment on the advances in news platforms created by the internet and demonstrate some of the ways in which well established news organisations have used them alongside, and to promote, their traditional medium if communicating daily events. Standards must be maintained in order for the profession to survive, especially in this age, as it is so easy for anyone to report the news people will look elsewhere if they lose trust in journalists.
The web brings a new version of networked journalism, which I would argue it is necessary for journalists to be a part of, whilst at the same time maintaining more traditional networks to gain stories and contacts.