Connecting People
In today’s world, news and current events are a lot easier to keep up with than ever before. We can find out about recent happenings almost as soon as they occur, and have the ability to seek out news that’s relevant to us with the swipe of a finger. Digital journalism gives us the ability to discover things we never would have heard about otherwise. The little stories that can often go unheard are brought to light, giving us a fresh new perspective on the world.
The news of current goings-on in our world is extremely relevant; it gives us a knowledge of context that may influence the way that we live our lives and make our choices. Becoming aware of things that are happening not only in our immediate society, but in the far reaches of the world. This allows us to become an active part in the moving gears of world events. Think of KONY 2012, the revolutionary campaign to stop the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Joseph Kony. Though the campaign wasn’t successful, it drove people to be more aware of what was going on in the outside world.
The world of journalism and news has changed significantly over the years to adapt to our changing society and technology. Gone are the days of newspapers, when gigantic headlines controlled the populace. Today we get our news from internet stories, now having the ability to seek out exactly what we need to know. Our knowledge of world events is no longer limited to the world news that they happen to have room for in the newspaper. We can find out as much about a topic as we want to, finding different sides of the story. The changing nature of news and journalism has given us the opportunity to become better equipped to make decisions.
When used correctly, digital journalism can allow us to get the accurate story. Though the first thing to come to mind might be the crazy internet farces that occasionally take the internet by storm, there are definitely other perspectives. Having access to unlimited perspectives on any particular topic is going to give a more well-rounded overview of what is actually going on in the situation. Providing news to others is no longer limited to major news corporations who might have an ulterior motive; now anyone can give input. Citizen journalism is a method that allows anyone who has information to offer it up as a witness to a situation.
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Digital journalism can come in all shapes and forms. It doesn’t have to specifically be updates on world events. Humans of New York is an example of this, allowing its viewers to gain insight into the lives of other people. This concept stresses the importance of perspective, as things are not always what they seem to be from the outside. It relates back to the old adage, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” We get to see people how they are on the inside instead of the outside, how their lives have influences their view of the world.
We all have the ability to provide our view of the world to others. We have a unique perspective rooted in our deepest life experiences, and digital journalism allows us to share this perspective with the rest of the world. The Greenville College Papyrus is one example of this, allowing GC students to offer their take on current events. Recently a group of GC students started Humans of GC, a project inspired by Humans of New York in which pictures of Greenville students are displayed with a personal quote from the subject.
Digital Journalism is a unique tool allows us to connect with people in ways that we’ve never been able to before. We can not only learn from it, but we can also use what we learn to give back. We have the power to change things, and digital journalism provides a way to make that happen.