New Media Technologies And News Production - Essay Example

New media technologies and news production In recent times, the media has witnessed the inception of variousforms of digitized media in the conveying of news to the public. These media forms brought the aspect of speed and clarity to the target audience. Ideally, the essence of reporting and broadcasting is to inform the public about current matters that may be relevant to the audience. News is a form of incorporating adverting in order for marketers to reach a wider market thorough a media houses market rating. The technological advances include internet use and short code messaging services in the transmission of information. Subsequently, the internet has enabled the transmission of news items be of high speed and reaching a larger global audience. In this regard, the internet has become a necessity for the current generation since it is a faster and more convenient mode of transmitting information. Objectively, this essay will delve on the concept of how the nature of news production and reception to the audience has been transformed by new media technologies. It shall provide a critical assessment on whether the statement is true or false through citing of relevant examples. The evolution of the media During the onset of the eighteenth century, the newspaper was the only source of tangible information in many nations across the world. In the process of evolution, the newspaper in the nineteenth century became more influential and sophisticated due to the urbanization process that had taken root. It was not only a way of passing information to the community, but it was also an avenue for advertising. In addition, the change in the lifestyle of American families also facilitated the evolution of the media from traditional forms to the internet as a technologically advanced media form. In this regard, the newspaper gradually stopped being the major reliance for information delivery paving way Medias like television and radio (Schubert, 2011:12). With these advancements, they gave a rise to fractured audience in that audiences relied on their preferred media tool as their source of information. For instance, drivers relied on the radio rather than newspaper or television since it was more convenient for them to listen while on the go. On the other hand, families saw the need of sitting and watching the television after a day’s work rather than reading newspapers to acquire information. Additionally, the advancement in to the World Wide Web era gave birth to personalized consumption of information since it a was faster and more detailed way of news reporting. News production and the internet Moreover, the information transmission through the internet led to great cultural diversifications in the way of consuming news. The internet is a platform of free culture in that the information provided costs less or is free. Sequentially, the newspapers in the developed nations are unable to compete with the internet in terms of revenue accumulation. Undoubtedly, journalists who find themselves on the receiving end of losing their jobs because of the financial strain in the world today have implemented the use of blogging sites on the internet (Schubert, 2011:5). These blogging sites provide an avenue for the airing of their views through cheap and reliable means (Stuart 2003:36). They do not find themselves answerable to any one except authorities of their lands of origin. Therefore, the internet has offered a way of bridging the professional gap from that of being unemployed to that of independence for practicing journalists across the globe. On the contrary, citizens have also had their fair contribution in reporting, as the internet offers a platform for posting photographs and amateur video footage on happening events. This is what citizen journalism entails (Greer & McLaughlin, 2010:1045).Once these pictures find their way to the internet, they give room for research where the researching on more facts surrounding the developing story may get to the public domain (Stuart 2003:32). Remarkably, online news transmission has become the greatest aspect of this technological advancement through electronically manipulated publishing forms. It also gave an avenue to which journalists interacted with the public by involving news correspondents who inform the journalists on happening events that they may not be aware. This gave way for wireless broadband forms of journalism that marked a revolution in the production of news. In this regard, online multimedia convergence has become a critical part of the structure of news production and reception (Paterson, 2008:199). Additionally, emails substituted the bulk of letters that editors received as feedback from newspaper in the twentieth-century the internet found its way in to newsrooms as a reporting tool and as an avenue for dissemination of information to the public. Sequentially, a great number of practicing journalist in today’s world has embraced the internet in the execution of their carrier paths. Internet has made research easier compared to the going through volumes of hard copies that would last days before a journalist could finish. The clicking on to relevant sites that a journalist may find significant in the developing articles makes reporting and information access fast due to the technological advancements (Greer & McLaughlin, 2010:1045). Moreover, the newspapers publishing media houses have also incorporated the internet in the publishing of news in websites that are easy to manage. For instance, website managed by a media house provides a forum for editing and constant updating of information, as it happens on the ground. Previously, news through newspapers had to wait hours before publishing making it stale and not fresh to the audience. On the contrary, the internet allows for constant updating of a website to keep the audience informed on news as it breaks with much convenience. In this view, online journalism is a distinctive way of reporting within the user and the beneficiary of the same. It stands out as a professional way of journalism since the perceived audience is one that has made technological strides in their lives. Transformation in news reception As much as the internet access in a majority of the countries is free and unregulated, there are other countries where the authorities in ruler ship gag the media including the internet. For instance, most Arab and the Asian nations have limited the freedom of the media within their countries making the dissemination of information bias and partial (Karlekar et al 2008:9). Ideally, this is in breach of the journalistic code of conduct that states that the delivery of information shall be impartial and accurate to the needs of its public or recipient. In this regard, developing nations lack professionalism in the journalistic aspect of information delivery. On the other hand, radio stations within these underdeveloped countries focus on the local audience using local native languages for communication. Most of the radio stations either work on a volunteer basis or run under severe financial constraints (Sterling, 2009: 111). Despite the challenges presented, the use of advanced media forms for the dissemination of information is a critical aspect in these developing nations. Internet access in these countries is still a major challenge as the internet charges may be relatively expensive. In most parts of the Asian continent minimal households have internet access probably due to their income levels. However, they rely mostly on televisions and radios to access information. Subsequently, with the digital wave sweeping across many continents, it will limit information access for them since digital reception requires monthly payable subscription. However, this does not apply to the completely Asian continent, as nine countries within this continent boast of having the greatest number of internet consumers than the North American continent. Moreover, internet news posting in this continent began as an after thought for people who could not access the other forms broadcast or print media. Ideally, the purpose of online news transmission across many regions was to inform the natives in the Diasporas about what was happening back at their home countries. It is a form of reporting that brings people closer home (Sterling, 2009:111). Moreover, the government’s intervention and introduction of media barring aspects have also characterized media transformation in that individuals are bale to inform the internet audience without government interference. This is possible through data cables and sea cables that enable them to inform while they are in other continents. In essence, only China and Singapore have advanced in terms of having software applications that can close down websites. This is what the media fraternity refers to as media sanctioning. Ideally, substantial growth in technology for the media aspect within the Asian continent is largely because much of the devices involved in the transmission of information draws origin from countries within this continent. Some of these countries include China, India, Japan, and Taiwan. On the other hand, mobile phones have also become substantive forms of passing on of information. Media houses have devised ways in which short code services and other services may apply in the passing of news items. These services are mainly by subscriptions in which both the audience and the media benefit with regard to their specific needs. Mobile phones help in the quick access of information at a pocket friendly costing. These have proved to be a significant communicative avenue because a larger part of the world’s population has access to mobile phone communication device. Their price for acquisition varies depending on how much a buyer intends to spend on these gadgets. Another transformative media is the use of satellite transmissions for production and reception of news across the globe. Here, information conveyance is through satellite that revolves around earth and a satellite receiver that decodes the signals back here on earth (Cheruku, 2010:20). This media form offers an array of television channels, which a viewer enjoys at a certain fee. It has the ability to trap television signals for stations that are not within the country to which the user might be located. The inception of this media tool marked the beginning of personalized viewing and reception of preferred information content. News media reporting on violence The media has a way of portraying protests and demonstrations by the public in a violent and the non-attractive way. Usually, they portray the demonstrators as those who have high traits of anarchy. This depicts the influence of the media in explaining the actual state happening events. However, governments have emphasized the need for positive reporting rather than negative reporting through the showing of disturbing images. Ideally, negative reporting may affect a country’s economy in that it may bring down a country’s attractiveness to potential investors. Modern day media forms should act as public relations features rather than weapons of ruining public image (Greer & McLaughlin, 2010:1043). Therefore, the media has a role to play in restoring public trust in institutions like the police force that have had the repute of violence and brutality to the public. Conclusion The transformed media has a critical place in the present society because many use it as a matter of the need to feel informed. In this regard, responsible journalism should be the foundation for any coverage of information intending to reach the public domain (McQuail, 2003:119). Ideally, the media is a tremendously powerful tool that which can influence the society either negatively or positively. Subsequently, the transformed media should ensure that it is impartial and steers the society towards the right direction. Finally, the transformed media forms have defined the standards of living for many of the urban citizens since the reception and production of news is immense quality and class. Bibliography Cheruku, D. R. 2010. Satellite communication. New Delhi, I.K. International Pub. House. Greere, C., Mc Laughlin, E. 2010. WE PREDICT A RIOT? Public order Policin, New Media Enviironments and the Rise of the Citizen Journalist. BRIT J. Criminol. 50 (1093) 1041-10 Karlekar, K. D., & Marchant, E. 2008. Freedom of the press 2007: a global survey of media independence. New York, Freedom House. Mcquail, D. 2003. Media accountability and freedom of publication. Oxford [u.a.], Oxford Univ. Press. ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 2010. News in the Internet Age New Trends in News Publishing. Paris, OECD. Paterson, C. 2008. Making online news: the ethnography of new media production. New York, NY, Lang. Schubert, B. 2011. American Journalism After ‘ The Age of Mechanicl Reproduction: The Transition from Print to the Digital Age and its Cultural Implications. Santa Cruz, Grin Verlag. Sterling, C. H. 2009. Encyclopedia of journalism. Thousand Oaks, Calif, SAGE Reference. Stuart A. 2009 Mediating Citizenship: On-Line journalism and the public sphere new voices. Society for international development. 46(1) 30-40. Read More