the web-olution of the INSTAnet

"I know of no human being who has a better time than an eager and energetic young reporter." - H.L.Mencken, Ameircan journalist. 

There is no denying that the internet has revolutionized the journalism industry. However, what is deniable is whether this revolution has had positive effects on the institution of journalism and newswriting.

Instantaneous publishing of material, macro and micro blogging, news websites and entertainment news are all result of the ‘web-olution’. Increasingly, we’re seeing citizen journalists publish their own material online – with a new blog being published on the ‘world-wide-web’ every half a second. Wow. 

Writer Rebecca Blood says that “blogs are a cult of personality.” It’s so true. From reading one page of someone’s blog, you’ll know a brief character synopsis and their stance on certain issues. Potentially, you may also know their daily routine, depending on how much free time they have on their hands and how much they value sharing their daily antics with a bunch of strangers online.

The incomplete nature of blogging is another benefit for the journalist. No story is ever complete; issues continually arise and there is always SOMETHING else to say. This ‘incompleteness’ of a story is perfectly paired with an ‘incomplete’ platform, such as a blog.

Progressively, we’re seeing one twitter post become the basis of a story’s content. Using the example of Clive Palmer, one neagtive ‘tweet’ about the FFA and journalists around the country, both citizen and professional, flee to their phones like ants to a honey pot.

Personally, I believe that the benefits of the internet far outweigh the costs. News is instant; as is the internet. In fact, it should really be called the INSTAnet because of the frequency at which it is updated. Having an instant platform to air breaking news is probably the best thing we’ve ever had going for us.

I love newspapers – and they’re not dead yet – but the internet is a far more effective platform for the 21^st century and reaching people around the world.  

"Journalism is the first rough draft of history," Philip Graham, Publisher - The Washington Post.