Print Journalists May Have to go Digital
Reporting on the Internet Demanding Changes
The competition for the print newspaper industry is increasingly as the digital sites now available for individual cities and towns can handle breaking news in a matter of seconds. In order to survive, print newspapers may have to turn from print to internet editions. From Albuquerque to Wilmington, late breaking news is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Journalists, too, may have to face that the day of being a salaried employee is over. When writing for an e-newspaper, earnings will be based on the number of readers who access their articles and/or how many times they click on the advertising that runs along side of it. Or how many readers the journalist draws to his own blog. At times, the competition will be the "citizen" journalist who is not interested in making money but rather having his/her writing read.
For journalists who cannot make the transition from print to digital, it may be time to start training for a new profession. For those who want to continue in their chosen field, it is time to learn a whole new vocabulary such Search Engine Optimization (SEO), links, hyperlinks, and keywords. Every article will have to be accompanied by a photo and learning to access the best royalty-free sites and transfer images in the way instructed by whichever e-publication in putting their work on line.
Newspaper journalists making the transitions may learn that finding a niche for the talents honed in the print media may take some time. The editing process may be done by technicians who are looking for the writing to optimize chances of being have a "spider" from google find it and provide a link to access the article. However, the opportunity to be a "watchdog" or investigative reporter will still be there and if the right site is chosen, the editors will be of same caliber previously found overseeing print copies.
One of the things print newspaper journalists may miss is the companionship of the press room. Journalism today can be done from a kitchen table, with the writer still wearing pajamas.
The hope springs eternal that the print newspaper will continue to exist but as paper after paper shuts down for financial reasons, perhaps they will continue as digital copy with wider coverage and still be able serve the community. Newspapers in general must move to a new business model and the journalists along with it. The print newspaper media must make a profit to exist and as advertisers look to the Internet, that will be the only way local news may be accessible. (New West.net 12/10/2008)
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