New roles for journalists developing

An interesting and relevant article appeared in The Australian on 18 September 2008 written by Philip Phelan. In it, the strategy director of MediaCom discussed the evolving role of the journalist in the changing media landscape.

Phelan argues that there will be a shift within marketing agencies towards employing journalists to produce in-house content according to the brand’s vision and values. These roles will not be about selling the product as such, but will represent companies’ attempts to ‘maintain a conversation with its consumers.’

A journalist’s skill in working with short deadlines and within a newsroom environment will transfer to this role, and we will see ‘brands become patrons and commissioners of content.’

Phelan’s advice to journalists, who are concerned that their roles may become increasingly redundant, is to embrace the trend. By taking advantage of the changing role rather than becoming a victim to it, journalists will find new areas where their skills are valued and content is better funded.

The article reflects my belief that the dynamic media landscape will create new opportunities, as long as people are willing to accept the changes. However, I understand that perhaps many people chose journalism because they dreamt of doing traditional investigative reporting. For these, the transfer may not come so smoothly.

Again, I note that the evolution of the media is happening regardless of whether individuals agree with the new direction. Surely, it’s better to embrace this than fight against it. Who knows – maybe our new media won’t be as bad as some commentators predict? Maybe journalism across a diversity of platforms will increase its relevance to the community and allow more people to access it. A positive thing, and something most journalists wouldn’t argue with.

Article: Tip for journos : follow the trend