Main stream media is dying… fast! This is an opinion piece

Do you remember when the news reader would read the news with only facts? No personal agendas or opinions. Just the bare basic facts. The big media houses (mostly state owned) were bound by strict rules to provide the news accurately.

Bringing the news

Newspapers were the only source of news before television and radio. A handful of journalists worked at these newspapers. Dedicated, well trained. Good morals and ethics. These journalists had to abide by the rules to deliver the news unbiased, balanced and factual. For decades that is how the main stream media operated to bring the news to the masses. For many the only way to know what is going on in their country and the world. So what went wrong?

Main stream media is dying

The Internet brought many opportunities and headaches. Media houses saw a fall in their readership when YouTube and other social media houses entered the media fold. The fall in readership meant a fall in revenue. They did not keep up with the change in the market. Their permanent journalists were replaced with freelance journalists. They no longer had to pay fixed salaries and other benefits. It looked like a good idea at first. They saved a lot of money this way but it came at a cost. Lack of control over their freelance journalists also saw a fall in ethical journalism.

The future of news media

Social media have already taken over the traditional media by popularity. Main stream media are in shambles to say the least. Personal agendas, political preference influence the way news is presented. The more trustworthy news comes from individuals with personal news channels and private owned newspaper and television stations. While this seems acceptable to most there is still a void to fill. Reliable, trustworthy, unbiased news for everyone. Responsible journalism.

Read more

• Die Naguil is ‘n gratis aanlyn koerant wat maandeliks op die webblad verskyn.
• We also publish original articles, stories and opinions in English
• Kosreise is ‘n webblad met resepte en reis stories