Utopian flying machines envisioned by the French in the 1890s. Remember how successful those were?
Worried about getting a job in journalism? Wait five to ten years.
According to Alex Boese, author of Hippo Eats Dwarf, “that always seems to be the time horizon for the utopian World of Tomorrow,” the day when the Internet will “usher in a golden age of peace and harmony.”
So wait around for a few years for that Techno-Utopia to arrive and journalism will be all fixed again, right?
The truth is, none of us can predict where journalism will be in five years. Nor can we predict what tools will be available for readers to receive information. Technology, while useful in enhancing the journalist’s craft, isn’t its lifesaver.
That’s not to say you should become a Luddite. By all means, embrace the new tools available to you. Reach out to readers using social media. Use video to enhance the visual experience. Embed links to lead readers to external sources of information.
But don’t become dependent on a single piece of software. Hone in on a skill, not a platform. This was one of the most important things I learned at Poynter.
As a designer, the demise of the print newspaper is particularly frightening. I used to wonder what would happen if all publications suddenly went online-only, ending the careers of journalists who specialized in designing the print product. How would I ever get involved in news design then?
But news design doesn’t stop at the print product. Online Readers need help finding information, too. You can SEO all you want, but that won’t mean a thing if your users can’t even navigate the homepage.
When I realized this, I became interested in adapting print news design to the web. And with that interest, I discovered an endless wealth of knowledge online about interactive graphics and user interfaces. That wealth of information only keeps growing.
Never stop learning. There are thousands of tutorials out there, ready to help you learn how to use any platform.
And that’s why today’s journalists should never stop learning. Understanding how to use new communication technologies as they emerge is essential for journalists to keep their jobs.
But resist the urge to become a Techno-Utopian. Because at the heart of journalism is good storytelling, no matter what platform it’s delivered on.
