NiemanLab has done its annual year-end collection of thoughts about the current state of “journalism” and what’s needed for the future. In 2016, only one of the pieces was relevant. It said simply that “journalism” is refusing to do the right thing and shows no sign of starting to learn from its richly deserved bankruptcy. Correct.
This year seems to have the same proportion. Most pieces are focusing on technology as the solution. More AI or more podcasts will help us to do more of the same self-destructive shit. Others are doubling down on the failure.
Again I see ONE contributor who seems to catch the real problem instead of magnifying the insults and mockery. Francesco Zaffareno recognizes that nothing is working, and proposes some real solutions:
= = = = = START QUOTE:
It’s time to admit that we are not fulfilling our core duty and move beyond our comfortable position of self-proclaimed superiority. We need to start engaging with the public — not just to inform but to listen. We must build diverse communities of readers, extending the limits of our current audiences to reach the people we are failing and pushing towards low-quality information. We need to ask people what they need from us. We need to show them how journalism can be a vital part of their lives, and how paying for news can become something essential rather than optional.
Instead of focusing on the threat posed by populist governments, we should focus on the people who elect them. It’s time to shift our attention away from defending the profession and towards serving the public in meaningful ways.
= = = = = END QUOTE.
Listen, show, serve. It’s just good business. Ask the customer what he wants, try to serve his needs, give him a sample of the product so he can try it.
I don’t detect the usual sly hidden condescension, except “low-quality information”. When the system provides NEGATIVE “information”, dubious information is better by comparison. You need to stop peddling pure obvious lies before you can judge the quality of the alternative.
It won’t happen, of course. Nobody listened to the one exception in 2016, and nobody will listen to the one exception in 2024.
Polistra's Mill 