The dawn of the Internet made disseminating news faster, with users able to access information within seconds. Arguably the biggest leap in evolution was the introduction of social media, which changed the landscape of how we obtain news dramatically.
We’re now bombarded with live streaming, requests for user generated content, and ‘fake news’. The pace at which news is delivered and digested has hit warp speed – but is this a good thing?
With haste often comes inaccuracy, and in the rush to be the first to publish a story, sometimes we are not presented with the full picture. The rise of ‘fake news’ and the public’s growing awareness of this has also meant people are less naïve to things they read online, and will question: ‘Is this true?’
So, although social media is often the fastest way to obtain information, it can be fragmented. Because of this, traditional journalism still has its place, and many look to trusted sources for the facts. Often a story will ‘break’ on social media, but until it is verified by a newspaper, readers may not 100% trust its legitimacy.
Social media does have its advantages. It’s a great vehicle to distribute news – the challenge is to capture readers attention in less than 140 characters in order to get that all-important click through for them to continue reading.
Nowadays, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to news, as readers have become familiar with the personalisation we see on social media, featuring content adapted to their interests.
Some think that traditional news media channels will die out in the next decade or so, however the best approach is for the two to work side-by-side and complement each other, to not only survive, but thrive.