Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Tradition Versus Innovation: James Stovall's Web Journalism
Journalism is no longer confined to the pages of a newspaper of the screen of a television. The internet has opened up a whole new forum for mass communication, education, and news. James Stovall, the head of the journalism program at the University of Alabama for the past 25 years, has seen first hand the transition of journalism onto websites. In his book, Web Journalism: Practice and Promise of a New Medium, Stovall shares his vast knowledge of journalism in all its facets. As an English major, I found his insights enlightening and refreshing. The first four chapters of his book exude these qualities.
Chapter One discusses the benefits of using web sites as a news medium. Specifically, the web has a limitless capacity, great flexibility, immediacy, permanence, and interactivity.
These ideas clicked with me because it is a combination of all these aspects that make the internet the primary source of my news. Web sites have a distinct advantage in terms of immediacy. Newspapers have to wait until the mornings or sometimes late afternoons to print news. News shows have to wait until they air.
The internet can provide immediate information as soon as it is published. It is quick and can provide pictures, video, and link to more information.
As an English major, the capactiy issue is a major one. A writer is now not limited to a set amount of type space and a newscaster is limited to a certain number of minutes to report on a story. A writer can write as much or as little as he or she chooses. There are few structural rules that bind a blog writer providing a truly freeing writing experience.
CNN.com is my main news source and this exemplifies everything Stovall was speaking of. The site is well-written, limitless in terms of information, provides media in all forms (e.g. pictures, video), and most importantly it delivers quick and accurate news. It has all the feautres chapter one speaks of.
Chapter two goes on to speak about the varying types of news websites. There are sites that are updated frequently, several times a day, like CNN.com, which could be the consumate news source. There are also moderately updated websites, like on a weekly basis, also. As Stovall states that blogs are a form of reporting, I have my doubts. My blog post consist of me talking about books I exclusively have read and people I have interacted with. I have not really reported on politics or social events. MY news is not important to many and I do not consider it reporting.
Chapter three delves into the major differences between web journalism and other forms of journalism. The elimination of deadlines was perhaps the most intriguing comment Stovall made. He states that with the easy of publication on the internet, news can be published at any time and would not have to wait to be printed on paper or read aloud on the 6 or 10 o'clock news. I find that to be inheritantly true. Online writers do not have to rush their work. They can pace themselves, fact check extensively, and make their work public when they feel the work is ready. It is a definate positive to be an online journalist.
Chapter four reverts to the fundamentals of journalism and how a majority of them still apply to web journalism. There should be quick, interesting paragraphs that draw the reader to keep reading. The author's words should be sharp and well-written. Headlines, summaries, and polls are still a major component of journalism.
Overall, Stovall's opinion was a proper one in my opinion. His old-school journalistic style has obviously had to adapt to this technological revolution, but it appears to be a smooth transition. He appreciates the benefits of web journalism, warns of the risks, and appeals to some traditional standards to still be in effect.
