Associate Director, Institute for Public Service Reporting (IPSR), the University of Memphis, David Waters, has said the new media is both a blessing and a curse.
He said while it has proven to be very useful, timely and somewhat informative, he regretted that because of its openness and low entry-barrier, it has been heavily manipulated and now a tool to wreak havoc.
Speaking on the role of journalists in Africa and the U.S. at the Edward J. Meeman Journalism Building, University of Memphis, Waters said the reality is that new media is killing traditional media, rapidly, but social media and podcasts are the worst of it, as so much disinformation and misinformation are spread with them.
He lamented that most people with huge following on social media are mostly untrained and do not have ethics of the craft.
Board Chair, IPSR, Otis Sanford, said journalism, as we know it, is dying. He added that most reporters today are mostly independent and do not work with major newspaper houses. He said this is good in a way to preserve the craft, however, it also has its drawbacks, as the system of checks and balances as well as structure, would no longer apply in those circumstances.
“We don’t have a union here in Memphis. We used to have a union in the past, but as newspaper houses started folding up, the union became less and less effective and now, it is almost non-existent.”
CEO and Publisher, Mountain Home Observer, Chris Fulton, spoke on his challenges and risks of reporting in uncertain or even dangerous situations. Recounting his experience to becoming an independent journalist and online publisher, he said he didn’t set out to be one, but circumstances forced him and his wife into starting their own online media after where he was working was sold off.
He advised that challenges would always come but a reporter must think ahead on how to circumvent them as best as possible.
On safety and reporting stories that may be potentially dangerous, he said a reporter must decide if he can put his life and job on the line for the job. “At the end of the day, it’s a personal decision, no one can make that decision for you. You must ask yourself if the story is worth your livelihood or even worse, your life. My reality is different because most of the time, threats to me and my family are usually just empty threats but I understand that for journalists from some countries, it could be a matter of life and death and I would always advise that you choose yourself first.”
On starting a digital media, he said it requires a lot of patience and grit. “Know where your audience is and go there. Make sure your site looks good, have a good social media plan, and have good content ready to go immediately and consistently.”
On his part, IPSR Director, Marc Perrusquia, pointed out that government secrecy has become worse over the years. Though they can be taken to court to get that information, he regretted that journalists do not have the funds to pursue court cases against government.
“Governments are always looking for new ways to silence journalism and we must resist them as much as possible. In the U.S. for instance, the government tried to restrict journalism and social media, under the guise of trying to stop COVID-19 misinformation, but we resisted it. It is important as journalists to keenly watch government’s antics and the different ways they aim to silence us. Everyone needs to be his or her own editor now, you can’t trust what you see online, totally. You have to decipher what is real or not, as there are so many lies and misinformation being spread on social media. Unfortunately, the few journalists left are not enough to combat the heavy amount of lies and if we are not careful, the situation is only going to get worse,” he said.
