Digital media has transformed the journalism landscape. Gone are the days when print and broadcast journalism dictated when and where the news was delivered (e.g., six ‘clock news on tv or morning radio news on the ride to work). Although these sources of news still exist, statistics indicate that 86% of Americans get their news through smartphones, computers, and laptops. Furthermore 53% of adult Americans get their news through social media. In light of of the widespread use of digital media for news consumption, it behooves journalists to become proficient in the use of digital media tools to perform their jobs. This is especially important insofar as it relates to competition for audiences. Not only do audiences get their media through digital media, but they also participate in the narrative by commenting, sharing, and telling their own stories. If consumers of news are getting it through digital devices, then, journalists must compete in the digital arena. This calls for journalist to become proficient in using digital media as a means of reaching audiences and engaging with them.
In addition to the traditional skills of interviewing, reporting, writing and ethics, five important skills that are needed by modern journalists to keep up with ways that audiences consume digital news are: (1) Search engine optimization (SEO) that involves using words that will improve search results that drive traffic to your site/organization; (2) audience building skills to understand audiences and create content tailored to their needs (videos, social media posts, blogs posts, etc.); (3) digital journalism skills related to social media and live streaming skills (e.g., live streaming on video on Twitter from a mobile device and developing infographics), ; (4) editing videos and photos to curate eye catching content; and (5) mobile journalism that connects with the public (e.g., take and edit photos, report in real-time, publish stories on the go). Learning to utilize these digital tools will enhance journalists’ ability to reach audiences through digital media that most audience members use to consume their news and information.
Resources
Pew Research Center. (2021, January 12). More than eight-in-ten americans get news from digital devices. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/12/more-than-eight-in-ten-americans-get-news-from-digital-devices/
Pew Research Center. (2021, January 12). News use across social media platforms in2020. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/01/12/news-use-across-social-media-platforms-in-2020/
St. Bonaventure University. 10 journalism skills every modern journalist needs to have. https://online.sbu.edu/news/journalism-skills
The Haynes Company 