Kevin Ornduff
On the topic of what 2002's journalists were calling "Backpack Journalism" I agree with opinions on both sides of the fence where Jane Stevens and Martha Stone contend.
Stone believes that the substance that makes all makes and models of journalism roll will be lost in the "Mush of Mediocrity" that results from many individuals acting independently and, in her own opinion, recklessly. Stone prefers top-down, classic style journalism with a liberal attitude - willing to try the new things, but not forgetting the strategies that worked in the past. Specialization, in Stone's opinion, has much merit.
Stevens is all about rucksack reporting. She references the true starting point of today's convergence journalism, those many multimedia expeditions that jettisoned off the tragedy of September 11th, 2001, multimedia experiments to help a frightened country in need of immediate information. Versatility and individualism are the most powerful tools of a Stevens-style journalist.
In my opinion the most important thing to take into account here is the timing of both articles, both released in 2002. As anyone can see, multimedia has expanded to the point that conventional print methods are questioning their own ability to stay relevant in a global society obsessed with instant gratification. The only question is what way to approach multimedia’s production. I agree with the opinion that conventional specialized reporting should be located at the epicenter of a story with backpack journalists in outlying areas. Small stories can be exclusively covered by the backpack.
No comments:
Post a Comment