In his article, “The Internet lets everyone become a journalist,” John Steele Gordon points out that the modern technological movement in journalism is not the first in history. The other moment in history came with the invention of the steam engine
Gordon wrote: “A rotary press, powered by steam, could grind out tens of thousands of copies between the close of business one day and breakfast the next, and they could be sold at a profit for a fraction of the price of the old newspapers. As prices fell, circulation rose dramatically.”
The article describes how James Gordon Bennett, founder and editor of the NewYork Herald, used new technologyof his time torevolutionize journalism. Bennett described that moment in journalistic history as “An age of chaos... [a] heaving, tumbling age,” a phrase which Gordon appropriately feels describes the current time. The steam engine increased the amount and access to newspapers as does the Internet. Yet with the Internet comes a new development. Now anyone can open a news outlet, “with a prayer and a song.”
There are two main concerns Gordon raises in regards to everyone’s newfound ability to be a source of news:
- How do we know the news will be true?
- Who should be considered a journalist? Who is worthy of praise? Who should get a press pass? And so on.
Though these are questions that vary in their answers, they also bring up some positive outcomes that have developed.
- Though anyone could write anything they want about any topic, true or not, readers are also able to do their own investigating. Journalists can link to sources like studies, press releases, interviews, etc.
- The use of new techniques will be the mark of good journalism and the best in the bunch will begin to float to the top.
In the end, though it remains to be seen how modern journalism will reveal itself Gordon remains confident that honest, legitimate journalism will prevail.