It is hard to believe that our children will hardly understand what a newspaper is or was. The ability of receiving instant news online, with personally chosen content, is making newspapers extinct. Of course, most of the newspapers, as well as small news media outlets, are adapting by publishing the content digitally and trying to get subscribers online. However, there are many bloggers, "citizen journalists," that are not necessarily trained professionals, but do get traffic of viewers. Even with unedited content, editorial review, etc. people still strive for instant news. So, that the journalism is going online, is a fact, but the questions is whether it could be sustained. I think yes and there are at least few options that would guarantee that. From the website from journalism school that focuses on the new business models for journalism newsinnovation.com provides a variety of options how journalism could be sustained online. For most part it would be through a training, improvement of product, creation of networks, and, of course, advertising. Whichever way it is, journalism is online and most likely will be there. From given examples, some bloggers managed to create $200,000 revenues, which proves that journalism online could be manageable.
But for the local news stations that already have enough to worry about, News Near You, created by YouTube may soon provide a fresh forum for independent broadcasters and hyperlocal videographers to post their content and keep it apart from stuff like crazy cat videos.
I guess, where is a will, there is a way. For now, we have to adapt and learn from the ongoing changes in the media.
Shown above is a short film made by Carlos Alvarez, who has a series of short stories that are made proffesionally with simplistic effects. Actually, the introductory credits make it look like an actual Hollywood movie. It looks like though it was done with Apple, since transitions and the style looks familiar (I do so called micromovies myself :))
But the questions is whether it would pose a threat to the movie industry. I believe it would not, at least not yet. So far, most of the short films are mainly created because of the passion, interest and not money. Even if they get millions of hits and recognition in festivals, the rewards are minimal. In order to pose a threat and actually compete with movie industries, they would need an exorbitant budget, and to create it would be a challenge. So far, we could compare minicinematic movies to movie industry as the grassroot journalism and blogging to the new's network. Both underdogs create interest because of variety, as well as saving time, whereas "The Bog Dogs" are still in control as long as they will hold the $$$.
Today most people are certainly aware of the influences or threats that the social networking causes in the U.S. But, even though limited, in other countries (especially the Middle East) the use of social networks can turn into the explosive force.
This actual video is a proof of what happened after government's try to shut down common media platforms. An instant message on Twitter managed to gather this group for protest. The message simply stated:
ALL internet & mobile networks are cut. We ask everyone in Tehran to go onto their rooftops and shout ALAHO AKBAR in protest #IranElection
That a new information technology could be improvised for this purpose so swiftly is a sign of the times. It reveals in Iran what the Obama campaign revealed in the United States. You cannot stop people any longer. You cannot control them any longer. They can bypass your established media; they can broadcast to one another; they can organize as never before.
Denied traditional sources of public information, the world turned to social-networking tools that provided services ranging from conventional news reports to a means for organizing protests worldwide.
People used Web 2.0 technologies in support of at least four kinds of activities:
(1) street journalism,
(2) mobilizing the Iranian diaspora,
(3) organizing the activists
(4) information warfare.
This shows that even though government tries to censor and protect itself from any disturbance, the available SN sources help people to raise their opinions to such extent that it even leads to revolution. To what was and is happenning in Iran, could be a lesson to many governments. Not only governments should prepare and adapt themselves to handling such situations, but also activists should monitor whether the received information is credible. The times have changed and with available mediums, especially the use of them among Millenial generation, governments, even though with trials of censorship, loose their power to the internet. I believe it is not only Iranians who trust what they find online more than they trust official media.
