Detective Work.

Everyone wants to be remembered, and some events will go down in history, never to be forgotten. A quote from our first lecture said that ‘journalism is the first rough draft of history’, and I think it’s true. Through the news, events are recorded and remembered. But in an increasingly fast-paced world, particularly with the birth of online news and the 24 hour news cycle, news seems to be just getting churned out, with little being remembered. Stories get lost in the ocean of news that is presented to us every day, and it seems like journalists just don’t have the time to delve deeper into their stories, because people want information now. But some of the best, most memorable pieces of journalism have been the result of months and years of work, with journalists devoting themselves to digging deeper and finding out the truth. That’s what investigative journalism is all about: getting to the bottom of a story, and finding out the truth.

One of the most important jobs of the media is to hold the powerful to account. Journalism has the ability to reveal massive scandals and wrongdoings, and that’s a big part of what investigative journalism is about. Journalists work as ‘custodians of conscience’, and investigative journalists in particular fall into this category. Investigative journalism is all about exposure, and bringing to light some of the things that are happening in society. The media brings certain issues to the public’s attention, and investigative journalism goes beyond the straight news, and looks for a deeper story. Its news that’s been well researched and well thought out, with journalists investing something of themselves into bringing the truth to light.

You could be forgiven for believing that this kind of journalism is dying, however. With increasing pressure on newsrooms to get the news out fast, journalists have less and less time to probe into the deeper issues that hide behind the surface of a story. And the simple fact that newsrooms are getting smaller and journalists have just got to do more doesn’t help either. Chances are that the six o’clock news won’t have much in the way of investigative journalism, and online news is all about getting the information out first, rather than getting in-depth into an issue. But investigative journalism still does exist. The Global Mail and Australian Story are just two examples of local investigative journalism. The truth is, people still have curiosity, and a desire to find out what’s really going on. And as long as this exists, investigative journalism will survive. And now more than ever investigative journalism stories stand out against the regular news stories churned out by the hundred in newsrooms every day. Investigative journalism has the potential to make history, and to be remembered. So maybe spending a little more time diving into a story is worth it after all.

Money Money Money.

Money makes the world go round. Underneath so many things lies the world’s most sort-after substance: money. Media is no exception to this rule. Commercial media rules the media production world, with public media taking up only a very small portion. I say media, you say Rupert Murdoch. The news isn’t just about facts; it’s about profit too.

Commercial media makes its money off just that: commercials. It sells ‘eyes and ears’ to advertisers, and the more popular the show, the more expensive the ad spaces will be. This all sounds just dandy in theory, but in practice, it’s not quite as nice. In order for shows to be popular and to get more viewers, commercial media can be tempted to sensationalise news, and make it more about entertainment and less about facts. Because the fact of the matter is that shocking things sell, and at the end of the day, commercial media is just another business. If it stops making money, it disappears.

But what does this mean for news? Is the news going to have to get dumber and dumber, just so that it can keep going and make a profit? With the rise of web 3.0 advertisers are able to reach much more specific demographics, and companies are beginning to invest in other things than television commercials. Commercial media is having to work harder than ever to make a living. And when the desire to please overtakes the responsibilities of the media in a democracy, things start getting scary. 

So what’s poor old commercial media going to do? As we were asked in our lecture today, can it really deliver on both commercial and social functions? Or does one get sacrificed at the expense of another? And what are we journalists meant to do? Should we continue to write good news and face the possibility of one day living on the streets, or do we sell our souls, and pens, to the mighty dollar? Is the internet the saviour of journalism? Nobody knows all the answers, and it’s a scary world out there, but it’s also exciting. Media is changing, and it’s at a pivotal point in its history. Money may make the world go round, but it’s journalists that tell us about it, which makes me think that they’re here to stay.