Nobody seems to be able to answer the question of what the media will look like in 10 years, or even five for that matter. Some like to spend their time worrying about whether the internet will finally take down print journalism, while others really don’t care one way or another what happens to the Fourth Estate. A select few, however, are not worried at all. They’re the ones that are using their knowledge of reporting and technology, as well as their creativity and innovation, to point the media in a positive direction.
Take Charles Lewis, for example. In 1989, Lewis quit his job at 60 Minutes to start the nonprofit investigative organization, The Center for Public Integrity. Working as the first employee out of the upstairs bedroom of his home, Lewis worked hard at investigative journalism. The Center for Public Integrity is now the largest nonprofit of its kind in the world. While Lewis may no longer work there, it is his courage and belief in good journalism that brought it to where it is today.
Now take the social networking tool Twitter. In the short time since it launched in October 2006, Twitter has become extremely popular for networking, but also a great way for reporters to keep their readers updated on what they are seeing in just 140 characters. According to the Twitter Directory, almost 3 million “twitterers” are using the network as of September 2008.
These are just two examples of many people who are doing something to enhance both print journalism and the Web. If you follow the work of these individuals who are spending their time innovating, reading, and working to better the media in one way or another, it may help to ease your mind about what it will look like over the next ten years.
It is my hope that this blog will be a way to highlight these individuals who are just sitting around waiting to see what happens to journalism. For more in depth information about some of these people, check out mediagiraffe.org - an organization based out of UMass Amherst that researches many individuals that are “sticking their necks out” to ensure that good journalism will never die.
