Twitter, a reliable future?

Is there a future for journalism? This is the most debated question among the media today. But is it a question that will ever be answered? Does anyone truly know the potential of an unsteady yet crucial business dictated by the generations to come? Is Twitter the future of journalism, the unreliable source that spurts out a constant stream of mind blowing ‘breaking news’ that has been drastically exaggerated to catch the reader’s attention? Therefore, you’re never entirely certain if the news is biased or completely false. As a result it’s extremely difficult for a journalist to release a story before anyone else has heard it. Last year after Steve Job’s death, a Twitter blast spread out over the internet like a ‘must have’ disease. By the time it was published by the press, it was old news; gone before reporters even had the chance to respond. The media find huge difficulty digging up breaking news today. Though, maybe it’s not about the breaking news now. Maybe it’s about that extra bit of detail, or a deeper meaning or explanation to something. Journalists answer those unanswered questions, the vital history behind the series of events. Why? What’s happening now? Who was responsible? If a journalist suspected a fake Twitter blast, and hunted down reality, their information would be valued, turning all attention to the media. A study carried out by Christopher Sopher (Journalism Programme Associate) states that young people tend to expect news to find them, instead of the other way round. The youth tend to find that most news websites are overflowing with information, and it’s simply too overwhelming for them. Sites aimed at young people with limited amounts of information would be an ideal way of encouraging them to read the news. Journalism needs fresh youthful faces, not only on the radio or the TV, but in theNewsrooms. In a sense it needs to be advertised, inviting to the human eye. If we loose these significant members of the media chain, we’ve reached a depressing point in society. Without them the quality of writing will plunge causing disastrous effects on education and the growth of our world. However bleak the future seems to be for the state of journalism, considerate souls guiding me off the sinking ship, I’m not rethinking my final answer.