I think that the current heads, at any level, of media are very easily won over by the idea of a young person who has a handle on things in technology that come to us quite easily.
I really shouldn’t be complaining. The fact that I am knowledgeable, if even just a little bit, about certain aspects of computers that are boggling to older newsmen and women make me stand out as “the future of journalism.” However, I wonder if this faith in the technologically knowledgeable is just a blind hope in finding this new and great “future of journalism.” Sure, I had a blog four years ago and I know how to defragment a computer and I was making powerpoints in middle school, but I am not sure that makes me any more knowledgeable about how to keep journalism on its feet for the years to come.
The ideals of journalism — the truth, delivery of information and all of the SPJ code — are all good notions that can’t really be expanded on by a relative amateur in the field like myself. Sure, I can program my DVD/VCR player with ease, but does that make suitable to address the ethical ramifications of a changing journalistic world? Maybe it does, I’m not really sure. I know that my good friend Frank Johnson was able to convince his bosses at the Lake Sun Leader in Camdenton Missouri to give him a video game column and not only has that allowed for what could one day be a prolific voice in the industry to get his words out on the web but it could be a step towards the future for the whole paper. It’s a curious balance, but one that I think merits a thought here and there about where journalism and technology meet back on the other side.
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2 comments:
The knowledge of youth isn't over-rated. It's over-romanticized. Your points are well taken Jim.
You don't -- shouldn't -- know more than me about certain areas. I have more experience. I've been through it time and time again.
What the owners and senior editors of the world are hoping for is that you will be able to see beyond the calcification that experience brings. Your value is your LACK OF EXPERIENCE. Mine is my experience.
That and the the fearlessness of the next gen in terms of tech. Over-generalization, but by and large you aren't as afraid of trying something with tech in it. Not so worried about breaking it.
Yeah, I guess that lack of experience in my youth, etc, is making me feel like a focus group quite a bit around the j-school lately as I feel the question of "How is your new generation of journalists going to solve our problems for the future?" seems to be cropping up a lot over the last year.
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