Social media has
turned the tables, we all journalists.
Gotta give it up to
everyone who joined me on my first blog post yeah!! it did give me butterflies to
read your comments. now let’s push the envelope and up the game.
Do we still need professional journalist on the age of
Social media?
Nop!!! As a social network freak I don’t
remember when last did I bought myself a copy of a newspaper, it is pretty
simple to understand this if this tsunami of social network has attacked your
life. Times have changed the audience have turned into what we call citizen journalist,
we no longer depending on professional journalist for current affairs.
Immediately when the incidents happens all self-appointed journo have their
gadgets in hands ready to capture and be the first ones to break the ICE. Citizen
journalist are known as private individuals who do essentially what
professionals journalist do report news in all platforms via social networks www.journalism.about.com
In the past years we have seen cases
where media houses kills stories because it does not favor or suits their
publication. I think it’s a good thing that social media have allowed us to
tell the stories as they are without fear or favor, us citizen journos we not
concern ourselves with any office politics. As citizen journalists we not
influenced by any sort of intimidation because we don’t need to go explain
ourselves to our bosses why we think this story should be published. The only
thing we concern ourselves with is getting the word out to the world. Is this a strategy we using to get more followers on
social networks? #ThinkingOutLoud
On August 5, 2014 my friend and I where going
for a bus in Braamfontein to get on campus, as we walk pass Mandela bridge I felt a strange movements and Linda was like
“relax friend its just the trains moving under the bridge” but the movements continued
for a while and I started to be worried but I let it pass, by the time I
go through my phone and check twitter the was a buzz already about the tremor
that just happened and by the time professional journalist updated this news on
their publication websites and social networks
it was already old news to us.
It is a good
thing that public relation practitioners now publish their press releases on their
organizations websites, because sooner or later print publication will end!
Social media is taking the world by storm. It is advisable as upcoming public
relation practitioners to familiarize ourselves with all these social networks
and teach ourselves to interact well with our follower.
Do
you have a different opinion or you want to add on this let’s talk
#SpeakYourMind
I also think we dont need journalist, as people are citizens journalist.
ReplyDeleteTrue that Musa social media have turned the tables news are being broadcast immediately as they happen I hope you have your gadget in hand to capture the moment.
Deletei think we do need journalist because they do this job easy and plus they are trained on how to handle media
ReplyDeleteI understand your point Maria but we have to check that journalist abide by the laws of their publications, good stories can be killed because publication refuse to publish it, but we citizen journalist we have nothing to hide.
Deletecongratulations on your second post!!!!! The digital age has given us many more tools to create journalism, so I think we don't need journalist in this time and age.
ReplyDeleteTrue that Ntombi, thanks to social media we can share amazing stories without being restricted by anything.
Deleteyeah i also think that we nolonger need journalist because the social media platforms have taken the journalist world by storm but journalist also need the job so that they can eat .great job Howey love your blog
ReplyDeleteYes they need to eat but if they don't up their game what will they eat, because citizen Journo are here. My pleasure Rhuu
ReplyDeleteSocial media has posed serious questions about the nature of journalism. To believe that social media users have skills and know the techniques of reporting about news to the general public is ridiculous because all we get from them are instant news in which we don't know whether they are facades or not.
ReplyDeleteI get your your argument Linda, but you know even journalist have given or deceived us, in this century we living in back up check is everything, lets for example use tabloid journalist , do you believe in everything they say? look how drum magazine nearly tarnished the image of young hustler Bonang Matheba after she has worked so hard to build her brand, they where so close to ruin everything she worked for by lying to the public about her abortion claims all in the name of making money, getting sales I rather trust citizen journalist more over professional journalist because they are real to me.
DeleteI strongly agree with you Howy,thanx for showing interest on your work and showing respect to your audience by doing your research and providing additional links where one can check for more factual articles. For the first time blogger I have to give you credit on this one. Yeah true to be told we no longer depend on professional journalists for hard core news but thanks to social media news breaks time after time
DeleteThank you Thapelo, research is everything in this field I'm studying in and I think it's not the case of being a PRP every profession need research.
Deletestrongly disagree on 3 levels professional journalist bring us legit news and if the is propaganda we know who we hold accountable as society than on social media. we also should be able to look at our society level of capabilities and our socioeconomic statuses my grandmother is technologically challenged she can not rely on social media because of the limited news you get they don't go and investigate the root of the matter. journalist go and study journalism what are we saying about they employment and the fact that they play a huge role in society. all i am saying is that lets not turn a blind eye and look at this matter holistically. we need validation, accountability, full coverage and legitimacy when it comes to news which is something that society is NOT getting from SM news or tech devices.
ReplyDeleteI get your point of view Thabo, but how long should we wait for press abasement to report back to us, the time we will waste to go attend hearings? I think this is draining hey. I understand that many people spend time studying journalism maybe they should be also given a social media module where they are given a platform to familiarize themselves with this.
Deleteit is very surprising how people are failing to agree that journalism profession its perishing. that's a very good statement you making Howard in you blog
ReplyDeleteThank you Nomvula, finally someone get this social media is talking over journalist needs to revamp themselves with this new era.
Deletebut honestly though i really can not get enough of your posts i must say Mr Mosia you are really acing this thing hey. back to business now i believe that we no longer need journalists as much as we used to now we live in the McLuhan world were everything is digital.THANKS TO TECHNOLOGY.
ReplyDeleteExactly Dineo, the world is around our hands we have our cell phone tabs and many other gadgets, we just tab and everything happens on its own, lets take the Oscar trial I don't need to watch the whole court session because I am a full time student whenever I'm in class I regularly check my twitter timeline and by the snap of the finger I'm updated of everything happening in that court room and its amazing to hear what the citizen journalist have to say.
DeleteI honestly think that journalist have a Big role to play, they help us make sense of the news. It just that the world is moving too fast to digital, that's why we don't think we need them.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your Opinion Nomfundo, If journalist don't do anything about this soon this career will parish, they really need to move with times and adapt with how social media work.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting blog Howard. I still think journalists play a good role in our society yes we may have citizen journalist but that does not erase the importance of journalism- the fact finding and presenting news that are fresh, getting credible sources i agree with the fact that they need to be more social and adapt to the digital era but fact remains we still need journalists.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your time Leshoko. my argument here is why should we pay for hard core news while citizen journalist can feed you with a pile of news for free.
Delete