By SHAMAR GRAVES
STAFF WRITER
Journalism is not dead but is alive and filled with promise, according to centraljersey.com web editor Loren Fisher.
Fisher, who is now managing editor of The Home News-Tribune, spoke at Professor Tom Davis’ early news reporting class on Monday, March 29 and described journalism as a revolutionizing field.
“The business has transitioned from the newspaper format,” Fisher said, “to the world wide web.”
Fisher explained how people are getting their news online and most homes have Internet access, which means news is being read more than it was a decade ago. It is convenient, readable and a quick read, he said.
Think about it, Fisher asked: When do people like to read their news? “People usually like to get their news on the go,” said Fisher.
Fisher believes there is no more need to sit and read a story for 10 minutes when you can breeze through an article in seconds. At times, news can be read through videos and voiceovers.
“A powerful tool used today in the world of reporting is photography,” Fisher said. “The effect of slideshows is incredible.”
Fisher believes stories that are told via still images and sometimes live video are much more popular today than the typical written story. For example, most slideshows for his website get the majority of hits on a daily basis.
Because newspapers’ main objectives are to make money, photo slides are definitely doing it. Students in the class are usually told there are not any job opportunities, but Fisher says otherwise.
“The news businesses want to give you (young adults) the jobs before they give it to older workers,” Fisher said. “It’s the way businesses work”.
Students who listened to Fisher’s words were enlightened and inspired to stay in the business because work is available.
Rutgers sophomore Stephanie Lane said “it’s good to be reassured there is a job for you when you leave college."
Fisher was a graduate of Ball State University in Indiana and said job opportunities were not the same then as they are now.
“Internships are much more beneficial than what they were years ago,” Fisher said.
Reporters constantly send stories to sites that upload breaking news and allow readers to know what is happening up-to-the-second. The time and format used in this process is what is needed in today’s new world of media, he said.
This only makes sense because 24-hour news is what the world wants, according to Fisher. “It’s an exciting business,” said Professor Tom Davis, appearing with Fisher. “To be able to deliver breaking news is exciting.” |
