The Changing Face of Media

So, you are considering a career in writing for digital media, eh? Well, writing for this format is a beast unto itself.

Images are king...

The internet is a sea of facts, half-truths, vital information, and fake news, awash with armchair revolutionaries and false prophets whose opinions masquerade as commandment. How does one rise above the din of virtual chaos? Brevity and economy of syntax is the governing rule, as images are king. And an author's authority is highly scrutinised.

Street Cred...

Not only does one have to take into consideration the classic journalistic rules of answering the questions Who? What? Why? Where? When? and How? whilst compiling the facts and legitimising the relevance of your topic, one has to take in consideration their online personal and professional profile or credibility (or 'street cred) on a subject.

WHO the heck are you to bring this subject up in the first place?

To be successful, one must be able to use the platforms of new media to communicate an ability to provide a service or run a business. To retain relevance in an industry, maintaining a social media presences is imperative. Industry Influencers, a relatively new PR/marketing phenom, effect trends that move product. Becoming an Influencer is how you build street cred.

‘BryanBoy’ aka fashion and style blogger Bryan Grey Yambao

Operating under the name ‘BryanBoy,’ celebrity fashion and style blogger Bryan Grey Yambao is widely recognised for penning one of the most influential blogs within the fashion industry. Launched in 2004 from his parent’s home in Manilla, the Philippines, Yambao was one of the first to leverage the informal media and the wide scope of the internet to forge a dedicated outlet for personal fashion expression and has been credited with pioneering the candid tone of voice employed by style bloggers, along with self-styled ‘editorial’ photo shoots. Because fashion is visual, BryanBoy uses Instagram to great effect.

In the 90's, NYC socialite and benefactor to up and coming young Scottish designer Alexander McQueen needed no introduction. Her legendary style and unwavering support for the avant garde propelled her to icon status.

WHAT makes you an authority on the subject?

These days, being an industry Influencer on social media platforms is enough to be considered an authority on a subject. Depending on the industry, that could be a good or bad thing. When it comes to fashion or beauty, I can make a decision based on what I see. But if you're talking about politics or legal issues, you have to dig deeper than a Wikipedia search to get the real facts.

WHY should we listen to you rather than any of the thousands of others who are banging on about the same thing?

Journalism has (or arguably "had", but that's a whole different blog post) a strict code of ethics, a concept whose principle and purpose it revolves around.  As the whole foundation of the press is built on trust, accuracy, and truthfulness, without ethics, the public has no reason to believe what is told to them. The concept of "Fake News" was perpetuated by the Trump administration to challenge the integrity of the press and the accuracy of what it reports. It leaves the public confused and distrustful of what used to be respected news outlets and reporters. That could give political leaders untold powers to advance ideas and policies that do not have the best interests of their constituency at heart. Scary, eh?

An example of the journalistic code of ethics is outlined in the NPR (National Public Radio) Ethics Handbook. NPR is an American privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organisation based in Washington, D.C. NPR differs from other non-profit membership media organisations, such as the Associated Press (AP) in that it was established by an act of Congress, and most of its member stations are owned by government entities, often public universities. It serves as a national syndicator to a network of over 1,000 public radio stations in the United States.

Launched in 1980, CNN, the first 24-hour news operation changed the face of broadcast news.

Broadcast news has changed drastically over the last 40 years. With the advent of the 24-hour news cycle brought to you by cable television, this led to the eventual birth of cable news. On June 1, 1980, American media mogul and philanthropist Ted Turner launched CNN, the first 24-hour cable news operation, and sister channel Headline News followed in 1982. CNN gained reputation significantly with its 1991 coverage of the Gulf War. The success of CNN inspired many other 24-hour cable news stations. In 1996, Fox News and MSNBC were launched to compete with CNN.

That was then. The internet is now.

In July 2014, NPR launched NPR One, an app for iOS and Android smartphones and other mobile devices. It was created to make it easier for listeners to stream local NPR stations live and listen to NPR podcasts by permitting easy navigation through their list of programming.

Digital Content is a hot topic in marketing these days. It can make or break the reputation of a business, product, or person. However, social media channels have constraints and limitations like, for example, needing an app to re-post (or Re-gram) an Instagram post on your timeline, or the character limitations of Twitter. The reach and effectiveness of your post directly depends on when your target market is online.

How does the writing style affect how your audience receives your message?

If you adhere to a consistent posting schedule, produce good content, and use the proper keywords for the subject you are writing about, they will find you. To get them to keep coming back, it is wise to always include a call to action. For example, encourage your readers to post their opinions in the comments section. However, to maintain a healthy mental attitude, it is wise for you to not to read the comments section. It could uncork that stinky kettle of fish and dump it all over your self-esteem...