Working in Converged News rooms
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
It is relevant for media companies to regulate cross-media ownership laws in order to enable journalists to work for different media like newspapers, television, radio and the web. Web, especially, is a new form of publishing that includes print, sound and vision. Hence, converged news rooms require multiskillness in different media which have different laws and defamations; journalists need to know those new skills and rules. In other words, journalists need to take courses regularly in order to become familiar with different media and at the same time to be able to report the same story in different ways for different media. Furthermore, they need to be up-to-date with the different laws and defamations. Online news, for instance, are published internationally, hence, different rules and laws apply for online publishing than for publishing news via newspapers or television. Then, if the converged newsroom is not governmental, it is important that journalists become familiar with advertisement; they need to be able to attract more advertisement companies in order to be sponsored. There is no doubt, that converged newsrooms are more dynamic and flexible, hence, they require more education and skills. Therefore, it is important that journalists in the future will be provided by the government and private companies with the required education before they can work in converged newsrooms.
Being a Superjournalist is a Myth
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
If the journalist only wants to work as print journalist because he feels uncomfortable to work for the television, I think the journalist would not do the job. As a print journalist it is more likely that one works for the web, instead of working for the television and the radio. In other words, in the future more and more companies will have cross-ownerships; however, this does not mean that the journalist has to be a “super-journalist” who can produce news for all the different media at the same time. One has to be aware that different media require different forms of writing and publishing, it would be too much work for one journalist. Furthermore, if one journalist would do the job for all the different media, the unemployment rate of journalists most likely would increase. However, if a company asks a print journalist to report on television, the journalist should protest against the company because journalists cannot be “all things to all media at once.” It is important to response to the future, but at the same time it is important to know the borders. Fairfax journalists, for instance, “held stop meetings to protest management requirements“during April 2000, because they knew that journalists have certain rights and that they do not have to accept everything. Even though, the idea of being a “superjournalist” is a myth, journalists should be able to speak in public and therefore practice to be more self-confident.
Journalistic Convergence Is the Future
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
Journalistic convergence is not just a trendy fad; it is the future. Journalists in the future will more and more work for different media. Companies who fail to produce and create good products will go broke, but converged newsrooms that produce and create quality will grow and develop further. Through development they are able to attract more users. The web can be compared with the mobile phone. The quality of mobiles has also attracted more users and its usage in general has increased over time; especially, as the mobile converged with different media like the internet or digital cameras. The same will happen to the web. I think the future will surprise us with more digital technologies which will lead to more convergence with old media forms in order to attract more users.
Relaxed cross-media ownership
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
Relaxed cross-media laws would lead to more convergence between different media. However, media companies have to face the danger that more news might be for free and that they do not make enough profit. Therefore, it is important that journalists improve their writing to attract advertisers that could sponsor them because nobody wants to work for free. Another way might be to increase taxes in order to promote converged newsrooms but I do not think that the society would be happy about this idea.
Crystal Ball Promises More Quality
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
My crystal ball would say that newspaper, television, radio and web have to become friends in order to create more quality. They have to converge more and more in order to survive. If new technology appears on the market, it will converge to new forms. Furthermore, my crystal ball also says that old media forms will not disappear, but coexist in their own right, however, they will “grow” and improve in order to reach more quality; television, for instance, will become digital and provide better sound and visual techniques. The same happened to “Mr. Walkman” who became “Mr. mp3-player” that now competes with “Mr. i-pod.” All in all, it says if media is willing to respond to the future, more quality can be produced and they do not have to worry in order to survive on the market.
Universities Require More “Multiskilling”
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
Multiskilling is important for the future. Journalists who are able to work across different media will more likely get a job in the future. Hence, multiskilling should be integrated into journalism studies. Students could experience different writing styles and at the same time become familiar with different media. They would feel more comfortable and self-confident. Furthermore, it would be easier to make decision because many students do not know, whether they prefer to work for the print or the sound media. However, the courses should start with introductions so that students could get an overview. Later on, students should decide which skills they want to improve because they have to feel comfortable and self-confident in order to produce excellent work. Last but not least, it is very important that students are proactive and are willing to advance their skills or to learn new skills. This includes writing, usage of cameras, recorders and computers (including CAR) and to get familiar with new media forms like facebook and so on. All in all, multiskillness always improves better job opportunities.
Internet and Web Are the Society
By Trycja
October 21, 2007
It depends what one expects from life. If you are really interest in the media, it is more likely that you are relying on the internet and the web. I do not think that the older generation that did not grow up with the web will really adjust to it. My parents, for instance, are really afraid of computers and they have no clue how to use this technical device. In other words, there are people who can able survive without the internet.
However, nowadays children grow up with the internet and the web; it is naturally for them to use those devices, especially in school Hence, I think it is more likely that our society will more and more rely on the internet and the web; it will become more important in our lives. I think one can compare the internet with mobiles. In its infancy, people did not really depend on the mobile, but today everyone has a mobile. Furthermore, mobiles become more dynamic; they have more technical devices. They include digital cameras, mp3 players and internet. However, the have not replaced the home telephone. The same will or has already happen to the internet; the internet will develop more new technical devices and make the use of internet more dynamic, flexible and easier to access. However, this does not mean that the internet will replace the other media like newspapers, radio and television.
Honest Mistake
By Trycja
October 24, 2007
I should be careful with my decision because Australia has strict defamation laws and if disagree with publishing a full story, I might be charged with a high payment. Of course, the defamation laws vary from state to state, so if the media does not assist to run a full story, I must face the consequences. However, if I were a newspaper editor in New South Wales and my reporter made an honest mistake that had defamed someone and the person defamed was not satisfied with my apology, I would run a full-page feature story promoting her business because I do not want be sued.
Supporting a Public Figure Defence
By Trycja
October 24, 2007
I think it is important to support a public figure defence it order to get more rights. The public has the right to know what is going on and if journalists have to fear defamation action just because some celebrities or politicians feel offended by a journalist, who more likely reports the truth about a person than lies about him or her, it does not legitimize to threaten journalists. A journalist’s job is not to tell fairy tales, he or she only wants to reveal the truth and I think celebrities and politicians should learn to deal with it. I think it is time to change the Australian system because everyone should have the right of free speech as long as nobody is discriminated.
No Fair Comment, No Protection
By Trycja
October 24, 2007
My principle is to keep sources confidential. However, if a confidential source told the wrong facts, I would change my opinion because I do not think that my newspaper should take responsibility for this person and that my newspaper should be sued for defamation. In other words, I would identify the source because I was willing to help her or him by giving him the chance to give a fair comment. Hence, it is not my fault if this person does not accept my help. My source should face the consequences and not my newspaper. Finally, if I reveal the identity in court, the story angle could change because of new information and I would have something to write about.
Work Experience
By Trycja
October 24, 2007
Work experience opens first gates to the real work. Through internships and placements students can experience how their subject skills might be useful in the work place. There, students will be able to learn to transfer their skills which they had learnt at university such as research, reading, writing, analytical thinking and more importing working under pressure with deadlines. Work experience enables students to use their skills in practice and to realise that their academic studies make sense. Students who for example, study English or history may worry about the future because they do not study a profession like teachers or journalists do. Another advantage of placements is that students are able to learn new skills and they get to know other people. Moreover, students can find out whether they really like to work one field or whether they prefer another profession. Students only can benefit from work experience. Through work internships a students will belong to the community of their placement and hear of jobs opportunities and other events. My humble self did a volunteer job and a short-term internship at CanStage Theatre in Canada and I still receive job-postings via email. My best advantage was that I won some new interesting friends. We are still in contact via “skype” or “facebook.” In short, I had a great time at CanStage because I experienced how it is to work behind the scenes and I experienced some meet-and-greets with the press. It was fun to see how a play comes to life, especially when the media was involved. Visit http://www.canstage.com to experience CanStage yourself.
