Monday, May 31, 2010

News in the Information Age

Jack Fuller, What Is Happening to News: The Information Explosion and the Crisis in Journalism (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2010).

Experienced newspaperman Fuller provides an interesting analysis of the state of journalism, tying the fate of news coverage not to the fate of print and ink publishing but to the condition of our society and the need for honest, reliable reporting. Fuller covers the emergence of journalism as a profession, the development of its principles and methods, the challenges offered by television and then the Internet, and suggestions regarding its future. Fuller does not defend traditional journalism, but he, instead, shows where the field needs to accommodate new readers and technologies. While independence and verification must remain, Fuller suggests that other traditional notions, such as neutrality and disinterestedness, may be far less important or relevant.

1 comment:

Avaiki Nius said...

Fuller risks appearing foolish. To "adapt" to the information age, the old qualities of dispassionate journalism grow ever more vital. The neutral voice used to be the only one available and was rightly suspected as a gatekeeper of information. Now we are surrounded by passionate voices by the million. Information by the flood. In this context journalism is at risk of being washed away. We need to stick to what we know best.