The Impact of the Internet on Traditional News Media

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This essay explains the impact of the internet on the traditional conventional media which currently encounters challenges of maintaining its primary role of being the only source of public information. Internet has become a universal news medium and the traditional media is on the receiving end since many people can access to the high speed internet which has become a part of modern life hence making almost everyone a journalist. The argument of this writing is to carefully examine, evaluate and analyze both the positive and negative impacts of the internet based on the creation of information as well as network society on the conventional media.

According to Scherer (2008), Internet has really enhanced communication amongst many people by making it quick and at global scale. It is undeniable that the internet through blogs and many other social media has created a sense of freedom which has enabled expression of thoughts and feelings liberally. On the other hand, traditional media restricts the freedom by making one person to communicate to many after carefully choosing the information while the receivers receive every information got from the media. Additionally, interactivity enhanced by the internet cannot be assumed as it is experienced in the social media such as Facebook and online forums where the public participate and interact through airing their views and asking questions. The social media empowers people to make an option on what to react or participate in through narrowcasting that minimizes interference from others (Chadwick & Howard, 2009).

Moreover, the internet has created a base in which people can acquire information in a most flexible and suitable way thus making the process more fashionable and likable than the traditional media. Ahlers and Hessen (2013), argue that most people globally obtain information from the online resources because of the instant and efficient style associated with the internet. Nevertheless, conventional media resources have really been challenged by online resources and World Wide Web, in fact, in most cases, the traditional media also obtains information from the online resources (Scherer, 2008).

Additionally, rapid development of the internet has really brought information revolution. It is obvious that the internet has made information available everywhere around the world thus reducing the world to a small global village. According to Ahlers & Hessen (2013), people have the capabilities of accessing the latest dimension of any information and even gain superb experience and knowledge which empowers them to be autonomous media producers. Individuals can now upload a video or any information of their own to the rest of the world either on the social media or even YouTube thus changing their self-perception, identity and determining their own destiny.

Ahlers & Hessen (2013), feel that negative and damaging effects of the internet on conventional media are seen to expose the latter to extinction. Internet has proved superior to the traditional media in terms of information media since more people search online news and information. Television is nowadays substituted by computers which most people enjoy and find useful while searching for any information. Introduction of digital television has led to more complex network and even development of HDTV that enables people to watch high quality images via installation of the internet into the television. Moreover, the dominant role of newspaper in reaching a huge populace of audience is no longer in existence.

Chadwick & Howard (2009), online media has made some newspaper to lose their readership and their survival largely depends on their ability to embrace new technology, and maintain their relevancy through restructuring of their organization and content. Online newspapers have become dominant of late because they provide detailed information by including some vital links to the primary source of information after just a click. It is evident that the daily printed newspaper is in great shock and is therefore supposed to conform to the new technological advancement to appeal to the young readers. Perhaps the exploring nature of newspaper will be retained amid the transformations.

Radio is not left out in this case as most of the listeners browse or may be decide to listen to online news thus leading to many journalism crossover experienced. Ahlers & Hessen (2013), argue that the internet provides a base in which one can tune in to previous news or information from the radio which the traditional radio functions cannot do. This makes the internet more reliable and convenient to people who could have not listen to probably an interesting program the previously.

Radio has also been transformed by the internet in such a way that people listen to radio via other forms such as digital radio as well as internet radio. According to Scherer (2008), the internet has enabled online broadcasting which has grabbed ears of many listeners across the world thus providing a superior and efficient alternative to the traditional on air broadcasting. Additionally, the conventional on air broadcasting is limited by signal range thus limiting its spread to a wide geographical area or to a global perspective unlike the online broadcasting that is available everywhere provided there is internet coverage.

Generally internet has become the major source of information to the public due to its flexibility that enables individuals to find it easy sharing and responding to information. Individuals have gained incredible knowledge, experience and independence when it comes to creation of information thus making them more creative in the media environment. Traditional media should adopt and meticulously embrace the new information technology to ensure their existence and eliminate possible extinction. The internet has transformed the media environment in such a way that the needs of the public are met and even contributing to public journalists. Perhaps restructuring the traditional media and introducing regulation on the consumption of the internet media would rescue the conventional media whose content still remains vital.

References

Ahlers, Douglas & Hessen. (2013). Traditional Media in the Digital Age Data about News Habits and Advertiser Spending Lead to a Reassessment of Media’s Prospects And Possibilities. Nieman Foundation. Retrieved From Http://Www.Nieman.Harvard.Edu/Reports/Article/100642/Traditional-Media-In-The-Digital-Age.Aspx

Chadwick, A., & Howard, P. N. (2009). Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics. London: Routledge.

Scherer, Michael. (2008, March, 24). The Internet Effect on News. Time Swampland. Retrieved From Http://Swampland.Time.Com/2008/03/24/The_Internet_Effect_On_News/