3.1 Inform me! news media

This module looks at the changes in ethics and credibility in shift from old to new forms of informational media and how editorial control is established

We were asked to think of our own media consumption in the following questions:

• Are traditional forms of informational media dying? What are their equivalents? 
• Are they in competition and if not why? 
• Do you think online news is more or less credible than traditional news? Why or why not? 
• How do you get your news – what sources do you use? 
• How do these differ to how your parents and grandparents got their news, or how your children might get their news now?
  

Are traditional forms of informational media dying? What are their equivalents?

While traditional media form are becoming less popular I don’t think that they are dying (not yet anyway) as there are still a few generations that prefer to obtain their information from the traditional forms, however as time goes on and more people become used to technology and the technology gets better, then there will be more of a shift to online media such as newspapers, magazines, journals, books, television show, movies & music.

Are they in competition and if not why?

I don’t think they will ever truly be in competition with each other, as most of the online media is owned by the traditional media outlets or received subsidies from the online media outlets (i.e. Netflix)

Do you think online news is more or less credible than traditional news? Why or why not?

Personally I think online news is a little less credible then traditional news, as we have access to it 24/7 there really isn’t a lot of time for fact checking if they want to be the ones to break the story, for example Gaddafi death on the weekend, the first lot of stories that came in were that he had been captured, these then got mixed up with stories that he had died, then there were stories that he was armed or not armed. Each news outlet wanted to be the ones to break the story that Gaddafi was defeated, which didn’t leave a lot of time for fact checking, where as with traditional media, they would have had more time to check the facts before the story went live.

How do you get your news – what sources do you use?

Due to the nature of my work, I get most of my news online (websites, RSS feeds & apps) from various media sources (AP, Reuters, Yahoo! 7 etc), however on the way home I do like to read MX on the train.

How do these differ to how your parents and grandparents got their news, or how your children might get their news now? 

My parents still like to read newspapers, it’s a weekend ritual for my dad to go to the newsagent and buy the weekend papers, they will also watch the 6pm news on TV or at least have it on in the background while doing other things.