Ruth Harper

St. Bonaventure University

rharpera@gmail.com
 Public use
changes

Technology
Organizations
trends change
must change
This social media shift is not the death of
journalism; it’s the birth of a democratic
movement emphasizing some of journalism’s
key traits:

Transparency Honesty

Giving a voice to
the voiceless
• Surveys
• Books
• Blogs
• Journals
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• State of traditional media
• Social journalism
• Social media tools for journalists
• Current event case studies
“Newspapers have a legacy of breaking news and
uncovering stories of historic proportion, yet they are
losing ground to a generation of consumers
embracing digital and mobile alternatives” (2009).
- Jack Loechner, research editor for MediaPost Communications
According to an National Newspaper Association
survey:

• 83% read a local newspaper each week

• 73% read most or all of said newspaper
• 53% never read local news online
• 12% often read local news online
“Social media are the route back to a connection with
the audience. And if we use them to listen, we’ll learn
how we can add value in the new culture”
-Michael Skoler, Nieman Reports
#1 •Facebook

#2 • E-mail

#3 • Twitter
 “Here in Montana, this
explosion was our ‘aha’
moment in experiencing
how social media, Twitter
in particular, opens up
new possibilities in
journalism.”

-Courtney Lowery,
NewWest.net editor
• 2 in 10 followed the Iran story more closely than any other that week.
• 7 in 10 had heard about the media ban in Iran
• 6 in 10 had heard about Iranians posting videos on sites like YouTube
1. Public skepticism of MSM

2. Local news organizations & social media

3. Journalists as information filters
“News organizations, while they
may change form, will never cease
to exist as long as democracy and
freedom of speech exists.

“The technological form may

change, but journalism’s main
thread, witnessing an event and
telling the story about it, will
always survive.”