Are Facebook and Twitter Killing Mainstream Media and Blogs?

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The print media is threatened by the internet, resulting in mergers, layoffs and closures. Blogs and websites are also threatened.  This Scoop article argues that it could be the end for objectivity in journalism.

"2019 looks like it might well be another really bad, terrible, not so good year for the traditional journalism model globally.

Already in January three leading US digital outlets—BuzzFeed, the Huffington Post, and Vice announced layoffs that have left many accomplished journalists unemployed. Consolidation of journalism looks set to continue unabated as larger media conglomerates swallow up smaller players globally. We also appear to be witnessing the death throes of the concept of ‘objective’ truth in journalism."

 Here in New Zealand, in 2018, Australian Nine Entertainment took over Stuff’s parent company Fairfax Media. The impact of this merger on the future ownership of Stuff and its New Zealand media holdings remain unknown, but speculation abounds that it will be sold off. Likely buyers could be Mediaworks or NZME or even TVNZ, in each case, leading to further consolidation (and potentially more commerce commission complications). Stuff's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation shrank 27 per cent to $40.5m in the year ended June 2018. Revenue fell 7.5 per cent to $301.4m. The NZ print newspaper market also shrunk considerably last year after Stuff closed more than 35% of its print newspapers and announced additional  cuts in community papers. 

Blogs and Websites

The number of blogs and websites is also under threat. Numbers and visits have declined over the past ten years while visits to the social media —Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Tumblr— have skyrocketed.   

Both have their place and purpose. Social media often serves worthwhile purposes for individuals, friends  and families (though it is also linked to an increase in bullying and youth suicides)  but when major political issues are involved, where people have adopted contrary standpoints, exchanges on social media are often one-line insults which halt any chances of discussion.  And with so many people commenting whose minds are already made up, hearts often rule heads and the impromptu  "discussion", such as it is,  often wanders all over the place, a long way from the original issue.  

This is where blogs and websites prove their worth. Authorship is known. Postings are long enough for a writer to present a full argument, and they are usually well argued and presented.  Several postings, each on a different topic, can be viewed on a page.  Tags provide links to postings on similar topics, and  search and archives facilities mean that postings are always accessible, and can be referred to many years later.  

It is true that commenting by readers is often not as easy on blogs and websites but this is not always a bad thing.  The freedom to comment on the social media can easily be abused. 

At the time of writing,  Fiji Live, for instance, reports that police are "looking into a Facebook page which says that 'Khaiyum (the Attorney General)  is wanted dead for $1 million .... and there are some people who have replied to the post saying they are up for the job."

In an earlier Fiji Sun article, the editor said they would not stand by and "allow their journalists and especially their families to be attacked by cowards hiding behind false Facebook profiles." And in another the Attorney-General said "some pages and forums on various social media platforms were becoming a web of lies, racism, bullying and hatred."

Blogs and websites usually encourage comments but they can be monitored for relevance and acceptable manners, and persistent violators can be blocked.  

So, what should we take from all this?

If you want to chat and keep up with friends, use Facebook; if you want to be informed and think about serious issues, read websites and blogs.  Better still, read both.

You can guess what particular blog I have in mind. Put  www.crosbiew.blogspot.com  on your URL line, then write your email address in "Follow by email". 

And don't forget to comment, saying what you think of a post.

Happy reading!

Two usually reasonable Facebook pages, one pro-Government, the other anti-, are Fiji Hard Talk and Fiji Political Dissent and Critic.

--ACW