1. Reconnecting Journalism and Citizens (and a little bit about Diversity) From Elements chapter 11

2. “ Reconnecting journalism and citizens ” implies a disconnect. Do you pay attention to mainstream media?

4. Demassification.

5. Plus, you can watch TV for free anytime you want.

8. The country is actually growing in population. So where did the consumers of journalism go?

10. Some days, more people in Philadelphia watch The Daily Show at 11:00 pm than watch the Philadelphia news stations.

11. Sometimes Seinfeld reruns get a larger audience than CBS3 news at 11 pm.

12. Celebrities are our greatest common denominator.

13. So what?

14. Everything is changing. Largely because of technology.

15. It is vital that we get information. The more you know, the better your life can be. For real.

16. Is there a problem with information not being delivered via the traditional modes? Is the Internet screwing everything up?

17. Or is technology making life better?

18. Journalism isn’t dead. It’s evolving .

19. The one constant? Journalism is a business .

20. But that doesn’t mean that citizens are customers. Readers, viewers and listeners are not customers.

21. Citizens should be considered consumers . Customer does not equal consumer.

22. What’s the difference between consumer and a customer ?

23. A customer purchases. A consumer absorbs . If you work for a customer, your goal is to sell a product.

24. Journalists work for the citizens . Your media outlet may cut you checks but your ultimate duty is to the citizens.

25. The Fourth Estate. Executive. Legislative. Judicial. Journalists.

29. Again, our celebrities are our common bond, the greatest common denominator. Thus the “ branding ” of celebrities and the cult of personality.

33. Understand how to make good decisions, and appreciate how decisions were made. Be analytical .

36. Why do we see certain things?

37. And we don’t see other things?

38. There is a decision process behind every image. Why create these images? Is there a purpose in showing these images?

40. Does an image like this only alienate the public? We can’t afford to lose more of our audience.

42. What do we need to do to reconnect to the public?

43. It begins with diversity , specifically diversity of thought. Let’s call it, “ Intellectual Diversity .”

44. Journalists have an obligation to be comprehensive. It’s a principle of journalism, you know.

45. By the 1980’s, newspaper advertising was really hurt by television. So newspapers sought a niche audience: the better educated and wealthier.

46. Newspapers became vehicles for advertisers to reach the wealthy. TV and radio are for a blue-collar audience.

47. Magazines started targeting niche audiences in the 1960’s.

48. The economics of journalism became a huge decision factor in the mid-1980’s. After the arrival of USA Today, Fox and CNN.

49. To make greater profits, staffs were reduced.

50. Fewer staffers meant that not every community could be covered.

51. Serving wealthier audiences meant that poorer communities didn’t receive as much coverage.

52. Which gets us to where we are today. The only time we hear about many communities is when bad things happen.

53. Is journalism comprehensive? Can it be?

54. Where do you begin to be comprehensive?

55. It begins by having a comprehensive staff with diverse people. Diversity does not just mean black and white .

57. Intellectual diversity . We, as a society, should be open to ideas.

59. When mainstream media bypasses groups and communities, niche media arises.

60. Opportunity.

65. The difficulty is that people like people who agree with them. It’s human nature.

66. Society is not homogenous. And journalism shouldn’t be either.

67. Media outlets need to foster the “ journalistic culture .” Newsrooms should buzz with discussion about issues facing journalism .

69. The best way for journalists to connect with the public? Invite the public’s participation .

70. Now more than ever, journalism can be a forum for debate.

72. The danger with getting citizens involved is that we don’t know who we can trust. Any clown can be a publisher.

74. Which is why it is important for everyone to be an educated consumer of the media.

75. And why everyone should be a journalism major. ( Plus, the journalism department awarded $43,000 to journalism students two weeks ago ).

76. Journalism is the greatest job in the world.

77. Journalism is the greatest job in the world. Seriously .

78. Journalism is a business. Sadly.

79. But being a journalist is still a noble occupation.

81. In theory, we are the educators of the public at large.

82. It is a great privilege to be a journalist.

84. The rewards of journalism aren’t the paychecks.

89. We have the ability to bring change . We can help people .

90. We can shed light on the positives of society. The news shouldn’t always be bad stuff . The bad stuff is generally just easier to report.

92. The job of the journalist is to teach the audience about the world around them . Journalism = entertaining + informing

94. Everyday is different.

96. Journalists meet amazing people and see amazing things.

97. It is absolutely humbling. You think you know something and the reality is, you don’t know a thing .

99. Being a journalist has taught me to appreciate every day. I am in awe of existence.

104. The things I have seen and experienced have shaped my personal character.

105. Objectivity is a goal but the reality is that we are all humans with unique backgrounds.

107. You have a duty to tell the truth and to be comprehensive . And you should have a conscience .

108. Remember: A journalist is part of the community. Don’t just keep your stuff here.

109. Take part in the life of your community. Get involved .

110. Have a positive impact on your community. Get involved .

112. Whatever your career path may be, get started on it now . ( You can always change paths later ).

113. The job market sucks.

114. But that just means there are opportunities for aggressive, entrepreneurial people.

115. Do it yourself. Seriously.

116. If I can ever help you with anything - school, internships, jobs, crafting resumes, writing cover letters, stories for other classes - drop me a line . [email_address]

119. A primer will be on BlackBoard by next Thursday. Do not miss the test! There will be no make-up chances.