Mayhemkhan's Blog

The Basics of Broadcasting chapter in Principles of Convergent Journalism makes it simply clear: it was only a matter of time before news producing mediums would merge.

With both the advantages and disadvantages of print and broadcast styles, something always lacks. In broadcast, stories are usually superficial and brief, but also can entail captivating or interesting images, (which people tend to respond to more). In contrast, print offers more depth, but lacks the immediacy and connection that broadcast usually offers.  Therefore, with the advent of web journalism, little room is left for longing.

Now news seekers have a choice. In one story they can watch or read, link to a related topic or another source, see what else is out there on the subject and have a complete experience in one sitting. These options are made available by the web, which ultimately translates to the dominance of converged news rooms.

 It is interesting to see all the different roles in a TV newsroom and a print news room.  With a converged newsroom, it is obvious that one person is taking on most of those roles—the most important being the producer.

 The concept known as “digital storytelling” is still a newbie. However after reading this chapter, it is clear what digital storytelling really means.  As the producer in a converged newsroom, one has to be creative as an editor, a producer, a photographer—everything as a storyteller. How a story is told is a key factor in current industry trends.  The more features and elements there are in a single story, the more likely it is to ultimately be successful.

 So while digital storytelling requires more tech savvy people, the chapter also emphasizes the importance of the same core journalistic values that are held high in all media.  I think the most important point this chapter makes, is because of blog mania and hyperlinks, projection of the core principles will be even more important for aspiring journalists.