Articles
The right choice
The last three days in Berlin and Potsdam have confirmed the common thought that being a journalist in these times of “the death of newspapers” and “the death of the old way of thinking and doing journalism” has already arrived.
But still, fear of change is present always and in all times. That is a thought that makes me less concerned not for my future, nor the future of journalism as we know it. It is all about making a choice. The right one or the bad one.
Journalism will always be needed, no mater what the future brings us. I think we could all agree on that, and the true essence of journalism - being gatekeepers and watch dogs of society - most probably will never change. It is the forms of performance only that will change.
Still, we all have to struggle to keep our readers informed in a way they are actually and truly informed and not just filled with lots of spectacular and short information.
But, that´s a tricky one. And I think that is really the universal issue here - how to make people stay interested in what you are writing. Maybe the easiest way is the way of the tabloids - to always refer to the fact that people don’t have the time to read, they don’t have any interest in analytical commentaries or even they don’t have interest in anything but naked women.
Even here in this conference we had the same problem. Nobody will read our long texts, so we have to use tricks, use pictures, small extract of texts…That’s really a simple way of looking at it, but that is the reality and destiny of print journalists.
But yet, a good writer and a good journalist will always have their audience, and the way of the tabloids and undervaluing your readers is simply the bad choice. A choice I hope I will never have to make.
Posted in 2008-08 M100| 27.08.08
powered by
cooperation
developed during
