New Media

My day to day is affording me plenty to write on, but no direction in which to actually proceed, thus, the random, 5am deep discussion about nothing as my eyelids drop. I'm frantically fighting sleep to give you some random, unfocused thought. You can thank me later.

My bloggers' block, which I'm guessing is some form of writers' block that people decided was internet-specific, is really starting to mess with me. It's not your normal, I wish I had something to write about block, it seems to be more of the I'm too tired to focus on one topic block.

And this is the way new media is moving towards. Instead of going into a newsroom, sitting at my desk, where I'd sift through emails and forwards looking for something to spurn my writing juices, I'm sitting at home, in front of my computer, listening to some 9th Wonder, wondering why I am doing this instead of getting paid to write meaningless stories for a small town paper with dwindling circulation?

That answer is simple. The internet has created a new lane of media, public generated, and it no longer takes a journalism degree to report the news [not that many of my co-workers at the Morning Sun had journalism degrees to begin with]. This new form of user generated content does not fit in the traditional journalism standard, thus freeing this form of media from delusion, corporate pandering, or in some cases, even censorship.

Even with those positives, there's one thing the blog does not have to succumb to, and it causes the question of the existence of a lot of these blogs, including mine. There is unfortunately not a lot of bulk when it comes to tangible, truthful information. There are plenty of editorials, not NEARLY enough editors. Scrolling and skimming through this blog database, I've learned a lot of useful tricks of this new trade, but it lacks creditability, a cornerstone of the previous incarnations of media. Newspapers have copy editors, photo editors, department editors, etc. All dedicated [hopefully] to reporting the most efficient, credible and error free news it can provide, all while have culpability when it comes to maintain an honest and truthful standard. Is one person, the writer of all, to be trust to uphold these standards when the magnifying glass is turned inward? Or do we all fall short and acquiesce to the one dimensional view of our work?

If a person was devoted to being credible, could we accept that person's judgment of one's own work, or should we practice the due diligence that editors and media companies use in combing content to ensure the integrity of the news or editorial that's being given?

As my eyes get heavier and heavier, my thoughts drift to a time where information was paramount and the newspaper was king. It's now an afterthought, in a mystical land of 90 cent per gallon gas and the super Nintendo. All ancient relics of time before super computers, minimum wage gas, and pod casts. My only part in this is to find my role in this media power play.