An ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, once said” change is the only constant thing in life”.
Journalism has been an imperative and integral part of our society from time immemorial.
As humans, the exchange of information has been part of our survival and we have seen from history, how the process has evolved over time.
What then is Journalism?
According to the American Press Institute, Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.
The central job of journalism is to establish the facts and share them as widely as we can. The society transitioned from using individuals to send information to the popularity of radios then evolved to televisions and presently, smart devices, which has eased the restriction on the means of information exchange to encompass a wider range. Not only do we have Professional Journalist, but residents also assume the role popularly called Citizen Journalism.
In assuming this challenge of distributing information, there are various types of Journalism, below are a few;
- Investigative Journalism
The purpose of this type of journalism is for writers to grasp the criminologist within them. This kind of news-casting uncover mysteries in each area of life–political defilement, charges of extortion, and so on and welcomes the readers to ponder the realities that are introduced. In this type of Journalism, extensive research as well as completely exploring all angles to a story to uncover prove and convey discoveries to the populace.
- Online Journalism
Online Journalism, reports realities on social media platforms, websites and blogs. Presently, the internet provides us with a wide range of information to select from; however sources are not always tenable, reliable or authentic. Online news-casting permits correspondents/ writers to rapidly convey information to crowds through online media without delays for print design, preparing and conveyance or broadcast schedule openings. People that fall under this category are mostly Citizen Journalist.
- Entertainment Journalism
Entertainment Journalism, like the name implies deals with stories and news about entertainment. Writers report on ranges from entertainment business news to stories about famous people, films, TV, books and occasions. Journalist under this category cover film premiers, music interviews and grants functions just as other types of journalism. This sort of news can be published on normal paper, computerized and broadcast media.
- Political Journalism
This type of Journalism centers on government, legislative issues and politics. It covers various sections of political movement. Political writers/ journalists frequently report on the activities of those in authority, the government, political cycles and the consequences of political work. It incorporates revealing political news and directing analytical and guard dog answering to guarantee that the general population approaches data about political movement.
- Sport Journalism
Sports Journalism centers on the subject of athletic world. Sports columnists report scores, standings and rankings for various groups or competitors in various games. Sports news-casting can appear as a particular classification, for example, analytical or assessment styles. It tends to be both print and communicated media. Sports’ commentating is a type of sports reporting in transmission and online news coverage.
JOURNALISM THROUGH TIME
The earliest known journalistic product was a news sheet circulated in ancient Rome: the Acta Diurna, said to date from before 59 BCE. The Acta Diurna recorded important daily events such as public speeches. It was published daily and hung in prominent places. In China during the Tang dynasty, a court circular called a bao, or “report,” was issued to government officials. This gazette appeared in various forms and under various names more or less continually to the end of the Qing dynasty in 1911. The first regularly published newspapers appeared in German cities and in Antwerp about 1609. The first English newspaper, the Weekly Newes, was published in 1622. One of the first daily newspapers, The Daily Courant, appeared in 1702. ( www.britanica.com)
According to Ogunsiji (ibid), print journalism started in Nigeria in 1846 with the establishment of a printing press at Calabar by the Presbyterian mission.
The world as we know it, is now a global village, brought together by the use of technology and almost everything we do as humans involves the use of technological aid. In my opinion, the future of Journalism is technologically inclined and the impact of technology in Journalism cannot be over emphasized. It has affected how;
1) The Job is done
2) The Composition and substance of information
3) The structure and working culture.
4) The relationship and work ethics between news associates, writers and the public.
The Internet as mentioned above is an insurgency for free news coverage, as it has made transmission of information to so many, so inexpensive. The narrative of how this innovation changed the dispersal of information has nearly become a thing of the past, and its significance is regularly disregarded, particularly by the new generation (computer-age), who do not recall a period before the web.
Aside the modalities of modern technology has provided, the most important aspect of journalism is its credibility. People want to hear the news, people love staying informed but most importantly, by a verified, confirmed and accurate source. This brings to focus Journalism as a profession.
Professional Journalism is totally different from citizen Journalism which is once in a while prone to blunder. It entails that a journalist, follows strict ethical guidelines, provide context and well-rounded unbiased information with professional quality.
The above can only be given by a trained professional. Citizens’ can only try. With all the happenings around the globe, journalism is a necessity and has a significant part in uncovering the ills, the truth and the hidden agendas of the society. Technology can only assist professionals in completing their obligations.
In conclusion, I envision a future of robotic journalism, whereby automated robots disperse information in real time across the world facilitated by Journalist professionals. What are your thoughts? Do you think robotics in journalism is attainable?
Journalism in a rapidly changing world, in my opinion, is a journalism of swift and improved dissemination of information, covering a more extensive range, with aesthetic and accurate information
