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"Clickbait" is an oft-used epithet on Soylent. Is the practice killing journalism?
In an age overwhelmed with clickbait stories, where clicks mean money, is mainstream journalism losing its relevance? And are there any alternative sustainable business models, which allow professional journalists the freedom to produce meaningful and balanced journalism?
These were some of the questions put to a panel of TV and radio directors from across the globe at the UNESCO's Journalism Under Fire Colloquium, recently held in Paris.
[...]
Jimenez argued that the click business model was poisoning media.
"We are often looking for stupid or irrelevant stories for large amount of clicks to increase our income," he said. "Look right now at the top newspaper websites and you'll find many stories about cats, about the different ways of cooking some meal, or whether Lady Diana was taller than her husband."
Giles Trendle, Al Jazeera's acting managing director, agreed that the media was challenged by the proliferation of new platforms and mediums.
But, he said, engaging with new technologies should not necessarily mean losing one's soul.
"Hold firm to your editorial principles, which is a valid business model in itself. We have to champion what we do as quality, credible, balanced journalism that is factual and comprehensive, and cherish our editorial integrity," Trendle said.
The fundamentals of "quality journalism" will eventually prevail over the low-grade "yellow journalism", he added.
Or is publishing corporate PR press releases as news more responsible?
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 15 2017, @03:27AM (7 children)
Every time I read a journalist's take with regard to a subject on which I am expert (e.g., I'm passionate about the topic, or deal with it every day), I'm left shaking my head at the incompetence and bias.
Then, it occurs to me that there's no reason for the journalism to be any better in any other given topic.
In my opinion, when it comes to any topic that isn't strictly a matter of everyday experience, you can basically assume that the journalist has done a very poor job indeed. After all, his work is not to report the Truth, but at best to get eyeballs on ads, or at worst to push some agenda (personal or paid).
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Saturday April 15 2017, @03:39AM (6 children)
You don't have to be an expert, just be somewhat informed. Google "journalist guide to guns" or somesuch. Journalists can't be bothered to learn the facts when they have their beliefs to hang onto.
/sad
// truly
/// an AC made me add these slashies
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 15 2017, @05:48AM (5 children)
Journalists can't be bothered to learn the facts when they have their beliefs to hang onto.
Possibly. But nothing like the desperate clinging of a true ammosexual when someone says "auto" when they should have said "semi", and nothing like a trucker when they said "semi" when they should have said "tractor-trailer unit". But mostly the ammosexuals cannot be bother to learn basic things, like the fact that not everyone is obsessed with lethal weapons and has a small penis.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 15 2017, @05:51AM (4 children)
What a fucking idiot, no wonder you people lose every argument you have.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Saturday April 15 2017, @06:35AM (3 children)
no wonder you people lose every argument you have.
Reading comprehension is the first step. It is very useful when it comes to trying to write what you mean to say! The Trivium of the Classical Liberal Arts (The arts of a Free person, STEM is for slaves!) were Logic (how to think), Grammar (how to access information and transmit), and finally, Rhetoric, public speaking, which in this case includes posting on the internet!
So, my dear idiot AC, drawn like a moth to the flame by the prior AC's accusation of "ammosexualism", you have said that "you people" lose every argument: I read that as referring to the "ammosexuals". Am I wrong in this? Perhaps you could be more specific, maybe including something about what "arguments" your are referring to, since I see nothing of that in the prior posts as well, only some accusation of journalists being ignorant of the object of obsession of ammosexuals.
Please try again. The ability to convey one's meaning in a convincing way is one of the signs of a free person, a liberal, who is a member of a liberal democracy! God less America!!
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday April 15 2017, @12:49PM (2 children)
Reading comprehension is the first step.
A second is to say nothing when you have nothing to say.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 15 2017, @03:58PM (1 child)
Aww ze po baby doesn't wike his gwammar cwiticized. Next time say boo boo gaga and we can skip wight over did part.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Sunday April 16 2017, @03:30AM