Comments on: Journalism 2.0 (Part 2) : What Journalists have got http://www.dorothypoon.com/2009/01/29/journalism-20-part-2-what-journalists-have-got/ Sun, 25 Sep 2011 14:37:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: zhaowei http://www.dorothypoon.com/2009/01/29/journalism-20-part-2-what-journalists-have-got/comment-page-1/#comment-1463 zhaowei Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:26:53 +0000 http://www.dorothypoon.com/2009/01/29/journalism-20-part-2-what-journalists-have-got/#comment-1463 I was just thinking the other day that journalists still have a lot going for them... For one, they have privileged access to people and places that ordinary people don't. And journalists also have the impetus to seek out the biggest scoop -- their success hinge on it. Much more can come out of an endeavor if your life depends on it, I believe. So yeah, the "social media" may be quick in reporting facts, especially of events that happen and are visible in the public domain. And with no offense intended, I venture to say that the social media works like a megaphone -- it picks up and spreads information fast, but what do we truly learn from this information? More often than not, in the current world where information is flowing so fast and relentlessly, do we need people who have specialized knowledge and are able to sieve out the gist of it all. I think journalists need to take up this challenge. I'm not sure whether I'm up to it though. I was just thinking the other day that journalists still have a lot going for them… For one, they have privileged access to people and places that ordinary people don’t. And journalists also have the impetus to seek out the biggest scoop — their success hinge on it. Much more can come out of an endeavor if your life depends on it, I believe.

So yeah, the “social media” may be quick in reporting facts, especially of events that happen and are visible in the public domain. And with no offense intended, I venture to say that the social media works like a megaphone — it picks up and spreads information fast, but what do we truly learn from this information?

More often than not, in the current world where information is flowing so fast and relentlessly, do we need people who have specialized knowledge and are able to sieve out the gist of it all. I think journalists need to take up this challenge. I’m not sure whether I’m up to it though.

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