Annie's Indy Media Musings

For journalists, objectivity has always been the goal when conveying information to the public. Lack of bias ensures that the reader will have exposure to all necessary information and will be able to form his or her opinions based upon that info. Objectivity also assumes that a reader can make judgments about topics on which they are most likely uneducated. As a society, we are heavily and increasingly valuing transparency, as blogged about by Joho in the article "Transparency is the new objectivity." I have witnessed society's expectations about transparency shift towards necessity, especially during the most recent election. Obviously, journalism needs facts. The purpose of journalism is to convey accurate information to large audiences. However, as social media transforms into a major platform for news consumption, the sheer amount of information available to readers creates a new need for transparency in journalism. It would be enough to have the facts of a stor...

I grew up during an incredibly interesting time in technological history. My childhood lacked the concept of the Internet, while today's children are fully immersed in Internet culture. I remember first beginning to integrate the Internet into my life during middle school, where I spent some of my limited "computer time" watching YouTube videos or reading articles online. Back then, YouTube was a side note to my Internet experience, and it is mind-blowing to me how I watched YouTube transform before my eyes from an entertaining activity to a platform for creating a brand and spreading information - one which can even foster successful careers. As we witness through this technological transformation the shifting of values from formality to transparency, I view YouTube as an exciting opportunity for the future of journalism. I am optimistic for the success of YouTube in assisting with the spread of information through transparency and the integration of entertainment and ...

Independent media bring to the table a new set of guidelines in journalism. Giving a voice to those who are not tied to the agenda of large corporations opens up a new level of transparency as well as ethical issues in journalism. Breaking away from the support and control of these large corporations is a challenge faced by these independent media outlets, and starting up in a world of corporatization adds unique roadblocks for those who wish to make their way in independent journalism. I had the exceptional opportunity to listen to Cornell's William A. Jacobson speak about his experience starting the independent conservative website Legal Insurrection , allowing me to ponder both the opportunities and roadblocks one can come across when establishing an independent source. Although I heavily disagreed with much of the conservative journalism featured on the website, I had ample to learn from Jacobson's experiences navigating the complex readership of the Internet. Jacobson ...