The future of the news is upon us! Simply put, the internet has taken over. With newspapers, magazines, television networks, and radio shows distributing their content online, you as a consumer now have a definite voice in the discussion of what content is favored by these organizations.
Where in the past, newspapers might be able to see how the front page story affected readership, online news is a whole new ball game-- and the name of the game is page views.
Unfortunately, what's being quickly realized is that the online news audience tends to favor shock headlines and celebrity gossip over in-depth analysis and investigative journalism. In addition, junk news takes less time, effort, and talent to produce. What this means is that news organizations facing tough budget cuts will be less likely to support the long hours and hard work it takes to create solid reporting of important issues.
But casting your vote for good content is as easy as clicking certain links over others.
What To Do
1) You can start supporting good journalism by setting your web browser's home page to a news outlet that produces and favors good content. This way you vote every time you open the internet and start surfing.
Here are a few examples, but find the news site that you feel does the best job.
• www.democracynow.org
• www.motherjones.com
• www.truthdig.com/
• www.alternet.org
• www.therealnews.com
• www.commondreams.org/
• www.centerforinvestigativereporting.org/
2) Next make a conscious effort to think before you click on a news headline. Do you really want to be voting for more news about Paris Hilton's dog? Remember that, because junk news is so easy to produce, good journalism needs all the votes it can get.
3) Finally, when you find good journalism online--SHARE IT. With a Films For Action user account you can add headlines to the Independent News section. But don't stop there. Social networking sights like Facebook and Twitter are set up to share content with the greatest of ease, and if need be, you can always use good old email.