Future of Journalism

 Part 1: Clay Shirky lecture

Go to the Nieman Lab webpage (part of Harvard university) and watch the video of Clay Shirky presenting to Harvard students. The video is also available on YouTube below but the Nieman Lab website has a written transcript of everything Shirky says. 


Play the clip AND read along with the transcript below to ensure you are following the argument. You need to watch from the beginning to 29.35 (the end of Shirky's presentation). Once you've watched and read the presentation and made notes (you may want to copy and paste key quotes from the transcript which is absolutely fine), answer the questions below:

1) Why does Clay Shirky argue that 'accountability journalism' is so important and what example does he give of this?

It holds powerful institutions to account and keeps the public informed

2) What does Shirky say about the relationship between newspapers and advertisers? Which websites does he mention as having replaced major revenue-generators for newspapers (e.g. jobs, personal ads etc.)?

Newspapers relied on revenue from advertisers who were more interested in reaching audiences for jobs, personal ads, or classifieds than supporting news itself.

Monster, Match, and Craigslist

3) Shirky talks about the 'unbundling of content'. This means people are reading newspapers in a different way. How does he suggest audiences are consuming news stories in the digital age?

Audiences no longer consume newspapers as a whole, instead, people read individual stories online, often shared via social media

4) Shirky also talks about the power of shareable media. How does he suggest the child abuse scandal with the Catholic Church may have been different if the internet had been widespread in 1992?

The child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church could have gained more traction earlier.

5) Why does Shirky argue against paywalls? 

Paywalls harm general news because they limit access for the public, while only benefiting niche areas like financial news.

6) What is a 'social good'? In what way might journalism be a 'social good'?

A social good benefits society as a whole rather than individuals. Journalism can be considered a social good because it informs the public

7) Shirky says newspapers are in terminal decline. How does he suggest we can replace the important role in society newspapers play? What is the short-term danger to this solution that he describes?

Newspapers are in terminal decline, and new models of accountability journalism are emerging too slowly to replace them immediately

8) Look at the first question and answer regarding institutional power. Give us your own opinion: how important is it that major media brands such as the New York Times or the Guardian continue to stay in business and provide news?

It important because society needs a consistent news source to maintain trust as the interent isn't always trustworthy.

Part 2: MM55 - Media, Publics, Protest and Power

Media Magazine 55 has an excellent feature on power and the media. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 38 to read the article Media, Publics, Protest and Power', a summary of Media academic Natalie Fenton’s talk to a previous Media Magazine conference. Answer the following questions:

1) What are the three overlapping fields that have an influence on the relationship between media and democracy?

Political field

Economic field

Journalist field

2) What is ‘churnalism’ and what issues are there currently in journalism?

A term used to describe a form of journalism where stories are produced in large volume with little to no original research, independent fact-checking, or investigation.

3) What statistics are provided by Fenton to demonstrate the corporate dominance of a small number of conglomerates? 

Just three companies control 71% of UK national newspaper circulation while only five groups control more than 80% of combined online and offline news.

4) What is the 'climate of fear' that Fenton writes about in terms of politics and the media? 

Politicians are fearful of career-wrecking and life-ruining negative publicity, along with damage to their parties’ chances of re-election.

5) Fenton finishes her article by discussing pluralism, the internet and power. What is your opinion on this crucial debate - has the internet empowered audiences and encouraged democracy or is power even more concentrated in the hands of a few corporate giants?

I think the internet has encouraged democracy as it is available for everyone to give their own individual opinions. However, because the media literacy is getting worsen society in the years it gives people in power more opportunity to influence the majority and stay in power.