A new Australian report paints a difficult picture for its newspapers but finds editors and senior journalists place a high priority on ethics and quality as they move into an era of greater digital presence.

The study by researchers from the University of Sydney and University of New South Wales interviewed 100 editors and senior journalists. It found them concerned about quality but committed to journalism as a form of public service. They also place a high priority on ethics in their pursuit of quality.

The report expressed concern about the decline of newspaper journalism, in particular, given its prominent role in enabling informed democratic participation. It said journalists need to broaden their discussions with the public "if they want them to take an interest in the future of quality journalism."

The report argues that more work is needed to define excellence in digital journalism, to set criteria and evaluate their success.
 


Comments

08/07/2012 12:51

"Journalism at the Speed of Bytes" is an absolutely on target report. It is fascinating to learn the degree to which folks in other countries share concerns that are addressed frequently by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) and its Ethics Committee (which I chair).

"Speed of Bytes . . . " should be required reading and I shall definitely recommend such to members of a LinkedIn group I sponsor in the U.S. -- Editorial Solutions Performance Insider.

Business magazine and newspaper editors definitely are not worlds apart when it comes to the ongoing state of frustration as we struggle to uphold editorial quality standards. Our key hurdle: increased quantitative demands for content due to the addition of on-line media activity. And as Amanda Wilson points out in her excellent foreword to the research, if editors thought there was tough going before, how will we cope as the latest mobile/tablet rage gains momentum?

The picture clearly has been painted via ongoing research I've been conducting pertaining to e-newsletter delivery. Two 50-site studies involving over 1,000 posted articles have been completed. The most disturbing finding is absence of enterprise reporting; two-thirds of the articles examined showed no evidence of going beyond source material rewrite.

In the USA, the prime B2B editorial ethics concern used to be "Church & State" disputes. Today, the major worry is upholding quality standards.

In this regard, good luck to all of us!

Howard Rauch, President
Editorial Solutions, Inc.

08/07/2012 12:52

"Journalism at the Speed of Bytes" is an absolutely on target report. It is fascinating to learn the degree to which folks in other countries share concerns that are addressed frequently by the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) and its Ethics Committee (which I chair).

"Speed of Bytes . . . " should be required reading and I shall definitely recommend such to members of a LinkedIn group I sponsor in the U.S. -- Editorial Solutions Performance Insider.

Business magazine and newspaper editors definitely are not worlds apart when it comes to the ongoing state of frustration as we struggle to uphold editorial quality standards. Our key hurdle: increased quantitative demands for content due to the addition of on-line media activity. And as Amanda Wilson points out in her excellent foreword to the research, if editors thought there was tough going before, how will we cope as the latest mobile/tablet rage gains momentum?

The picture clearly has been painted via ongoing research I've been conducting pertaining to e-newsletter delivery. Two 50-site studies involving over 1,000 posted articles have been completed. The most disturbing finding is absence of enterprise reporting; two-thirds of the articles examined showed no evidence of going beyond source material rewrite.

In the USA, the prime B2B editorial ethics concern used to be "Church & State" disputes. Today, the major worry is upholding quality standards.

In this regard, good luck to all of us!

Howard Rauch, President
Editorial Solutions, Inc.


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