The Impact of New Media Technology on International News Coverage - Essay Sample

Introduction

Technology continues to disrupt many sectors including media which predominantly remained the only avenue for news. The advent of various social media platforms created certain impacts which can only be interpreted as disruptive. However, such interferences portray the positive and negative sides of the new media technology. For instance, information and news continue to reach audience faster unlike the way they were with traditional mediums such as newspapers, radio, and television. The availability of cell phones and internet aided devices result into rapid dissemination of news and wide audience coverage globally. However, new media technology also threatens the existence of the mainstream media with some newspaper companies finding it difficult to do business. The impact of such a threat results into the development of unregulated content that sometimes turns disastrous (BARTLETT, COLE, & ROCAMORA 2013). Critically, new media technologies portend both positive and negative impacts on the coverage of international news.

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The democratization of international news explains the positive impact of new media technology. Previously, many countries isolated their news content, and the consumption of the same remained limited to the only specific category of audience. Censorship became rampant, especially where news item threatened to expose certain powerful characters within the society. It remains entirely impossible for the elites in the society to alter the content of news items due to the presence of technology in the media. For instance, many controversial but sensitive news items are broken through alternative platforms like social media. The citizens can follow all kinds of information freely without fear of censorship. The various media houses across the world also engage their listeners and viewers through Facebook and Twitter platforms to discuss their contents freely and use feedback in improving their reporting on various matters (BUCKINGHAM 2003). It is, therefore, the democratization of international news that one can identify a positive impact of new media technology on the coverage of the international news matters.

The dissemination of international news is strengthened through the use of technology. The mainstream media which include television, radio, and newspapers continue to receive a boost in the manner with which people receive and access international news. The common trend with most media houses is the introduction of additional newsroom tools of collecting and disseminating news. The globalized nature of news requires a virtual tool of detecting and interpreting information with utmost speed. News editors take cognizance of the rapid nature of technology in disseminating news and strive to meet the overwhelming demands of their audience through the installation of additional tools like website among other internet aided platforms. Currently, there exists free or subsidized access to certain television and radio channels online. Therefore, technology is building the traditional platforms of news thereby making people easily access content without much struggle. Initially, audience grappled with issues such as poor network reception that threatened effective delivery of international news. However, technology in the media continues to strengthen the mainstream news avenues in addressing some of the negative factors that hindered its effectiveness in delivering international news (DIJCK 2013).

Technology in media is building international news as it enables citizens to report issues within their locality. The contemporary world which makes it easier for people in different parts of the universe to interact and communicate promotes international journalism. While the mainstream media concentrated on particular content that attracted large viewers' coverage, international journalism is making it possible for certain international news items reach an audience across the world. Citizens record certain plights within their societies to bring to the attention of the international community. Global journalism is taking shape with the advent of technology as most news recorded finds their way into the internet platforms and reach billions of citizens globally. The argument that foreign correspondent is the only ones that can disseminate news is no longer tenable with the advent of technology in media. However, the media houses sample information online as they follow trending conversations and create news items out of them (DILL 2014). International news continues to be made viral through the use of technology in media that persists currently.

The prestige that traditional media created resulted in instances of distortion in international news. However, the advent of technology in media is shaping honesty, truthfulness and accountability journalism. The period before the introduction of the internet realized only a few circulating newspapers that were easily corrupted and distorted while promoting class status within the circles of people that could afford and read such papers. Nevertheless, the era of interment technology is disrupting such practices. The masses are appropriately being emancipated through wide news coverage. The class prejudice realized by limited news platforms no longer exists as an international news outbreak reaches everyone where they live. Ethical reporting remains critical with the rapid development of technology in media (Dunwoody, and Peters 2016). Most of the reporters strive to attain accuracy and relevance in their reporting as any distortion is detectable due to the many news platforms that exist.

Technology in media has globalized international news. For instance, the traditional perception of international news is getting a different meaning. Initially, international news was construed from the standpoint of their origins such that anything that touched developing world never reached the limelight while issues of developed nations got wide coverage. Additionally, international news remained only negative issues while positive issues never got aired in the mainstream media. The aforementioned traditional trends and practices are fading with the rapid development of technology in media. Technology advancement in the media industry continues to make it easier and relatively cheaper to practice freelancing journalism. Most bloggers only require internet aided devices to inform the masses certain news items on their social media platforms. Different bloggers venture in their field of interest to report the relevance of their issues to the audience. It is the presence of many news platforms that international news continues to be strengthened.

Despite the positive impacts that technology realizes to international news, there persist certain negative impacts that can also be attributed to its development. For instance, technology has commercialized international news. The relatively higher cost of installing technological gadgets in managing news creation and circulation is making most media houses resort to creative means of commercializing news. For instance, most news media channels and platforms like New York Times charge subscription fee so that users can access their content. A news source like New York Times commands large followers and audience due to its factual reporting. However, the commercialization of its news items makes it impossible for some audience to access the same.

Further, the unending website adverts that keep popping make it difficult for most users with poor network reception to read news content posted on such pages (Kato 2017). Some news items are also crafted to suit certain demands of the audience as they remain the sole consumer of information reported by particular media stations. The objective reporting becomes difficult in circumstances where the demand for revenue generation informs the principal goal of media houses. Therefore, the commercialization of international news created by the technological advancement in media remains one of the negative impacts of the same.

Propaganda reporting is rapidly taking center stage with the technological upgrade in media which also affect negatively international news. The constant of reporting on Trump's involvement with Russian Government by media outlets like CNN only ruins international news. It remains undisputed that no tangible evidence exists to link Russia with poll rigging claims that dominate news headlines by various international media. Research portends that some of the news sources that some of the media houses quote in their claim of Trump's rigging come from bloggers with no clear background in media. However, the ease of access and dissemination of news through various technological platforms contributes to the distortion of international news like in the case of rigging claims pitting America against Russia. The case of Cambridge Analytica further explains the negative impact of technology on the coverage of international news. The media above enterprise continues to be associated with corrupted information that misleads electorates in choosing leaders. Hillary Clinton blamed her defeat on the negative media propaganda against her which was crafted by Cambridge Analytica. The unclear regulation strategies of technological media largely contribute to the rise of propaganda journalists that end up corrupting international news as highlighted in the case of Cambridge Analytica.

International news can also be construed from the standpoint of a government to government correspondence which sometimes remains secretive and demands equal treatment of secrecy. However, technology in media is making the safety of such news untenable with many instances of leakages happening. WikiLeaks remains an example of the disastrous impact of technology on media in destroying international news. Even though WikiLeaks describes its organization as non-profitable and strives to provide the masses with secret information of public interest, it continues to ruin diplomatic protocol among nations (SHRIVASTAVA 2013). The existence of technology makes it easier for the organization to conceal the identities of its sources to the detriment of the international news. The works of Julian Assange continues to cause disharmony despite getting a reprieve as political asylum. WikiLeaks has released some of the international dossiers touching on the intrigues of the fights in parts of the Asian continent and several secret deals of the U.S. The uncouth, but the intelligent nature of concealing of the identities of its sources continues to discredit international news as people construe most of the WikiLeaks news as propaganda. It also makes it difficult for the affected parties of its news reporting defend their innocence which is irrational and does not aim at building the credibility of international news.

Technology in media is also deconstructing the formal nature of international news as it enables citizen journalism. Traditional global news required thorough scrutiny of facts before releasing such information to the masses. However, the advent of technology and its tools of communication revolutionized the formal nature of international news from formal structures to informal procedures of releasing news content to the audience. Most of the international news items currently are received through informal news channels like Twitter and associated social media platforms (STANDAGE 2013). Individuals do not have to wait for the once popular phrase 'at the top of the hour' to get breaking and news of the day.

It should be noted that previously there existed a timetable for bulletin release of news item...