466 MIXED MEDIA
NEWS ON THE WEB
According to a 2006 study by Pew Internet and American Life
Project, about 50 million Americans read news on the Internet every
day. In fact, the study found that reading the news is the third most
popular online activity—right behind checking e-mail and doing
research. Based on those numbers, it’s not surprising that newspapers,
radio and television networks have added interactive online versions
to retain existing readers, listeners and viewers and snare the techno-
savvy online users. At these sites, users can contribute photographs
and video, participate in polls on local issues, add their comments to
forums or blogs or send story tips and ideas. They can also question
reporters about their stories in online chats.
As the news industry becomes more attentive to the needs of the
audience, the roles of reporters, photographers and editors are chang-
ing. Reporters who used to rely on more conventional tools, such as
tape recorders, now carry video cameras and laptops from which to
edit and upload content from any location. Print reporters are add-
ing podcasts to their online stories, many of which are produced and
uploaded directly from their newspaper’s newsrooms.
What does all this mean? Today’s journalist has ceased to be identi-
fied as a print journalist or a broadcast journalist. Today’s journalist
must be skilled in researching and writing news stories, photograph-
ing or filming events for broadcast or podcast stories, producing and
uploading Web news stories and incorporating contributions from the
general public in many cases. Today’s journalist must deliver more
news more often to more people in more platforms.Today’s journalism students are
learning how to produce content for
several different forms of media.