Issues in multimedia journalism

The term ‘multimedia journalism’ connotes the use of new media platforms and technologies to deliver information in innovative and exciting ways.  However this process of adaptation and change does not mean that all aspects of ‘traditional media’ need be lost.

Mark Uechritz, Editor in Chief of Ninemsn, says the challenge facing media operators is to engage the disengaged – to access small fragmented audiences through diversification:

 Content and news value will always win audiences.  Traditional journalists must continue to deliver quality journalistic content in the sense of traditional media values.  However they may need to utilise new delivery platforms.

This shifting landscape clearly presents challenges to traditional media operators.  But changing news consumption patterns and fragmented audiences also open up segmented niche markets open to targeting by savvy operators. The rise of the ‘citizen journalist’ and other new competitive entrants to the media landscape can also be adapted to and utilised. 

Mark Scott, Managing Director for the ABC:

Journalists will remain gatekeepers of information with their traditional advantages of resources, contacts, access, professional skills, legal understanding and so on. It may just require that journalists build on and expand their traditional media skills to become multimedia operators.

MORE RESOURCES ON THE CHANGING FACE OF TRADITIONAL MEDIA:

Video of a debate between Wikipedia co-creator Jimmy Wales and internet cultural critic Andrew Keen on the fate of print journalism in the digital age:

‘New media lessons from election 07 ’  - Article by Margaret Simons on Crikey.com on the impact of citizen journalism during the Australian Federal Election 2007 and the emergence of professional multimedia journalists to combat and utilise the effects of the new media age.