The Future of Journalism

The Future of Journalism: Blog tasks

Part 1: Clay Shirky lecture

Go to the Nieman Lab webpage (part of Harvard university) and watch the video of Clay Shirky presenting to Harvard students. The video is also available on YouTube below but the Nieman Lab website has a written transcript of everything Shirky says. 


Play the clip AND read along with the transcript below to ensure you are following the argument. You need to watch from the beginning to 29.35 (the end of Shirky's presentation). Once you've watched and read the presentation and made notes (you may want to copy and paste key quotes from the transcript which is absolutely fine), answer the questions below:

1) Why does Clay Shirky argue that 'accountability journalism' is so important and what example does he give of this?

Shirky argues that accountability journalism matters because it holds powerful institutions to account and keeps the public informed. He illustrates this by explaining how newspapers historically covered global events, like reporting from Baghdad, not because advertisers like Best Buy cared, but because newspapers had a responsibility to investigate and inform the public.

2) What does Shirky say about the relationship between newspapers and advertisers? Which websites does he mention as having replaced major revenue-generators for newspapers (e.g. jobs, personal ads etc.)?

Shirky explains that newspapers relied on revenue from advertisers who were more interested in reaching audiences for jobs, personal ads, or classifieds than supporting news itself. Websites like Monster, Match, and Craigslist have taken over these revenue-generating roles, meaning newspapers can no longer depend on those profits to fund their reporting.

3) Shirky talks about the 'unbundling of content'. This means people are reading newspapers in a different way. How does he suggest audiences are consuming news stories in the digital age?

He notes that audiences no longer consume newspapers as a whole. Instead, people read individual stories online, often shared via social media, and choose exactly where they get their news. This “unbundling” changes how news is produced and consumed.

4) Shirky also talks about the power of shareable media. How does he suggest the child abuse scandal with the Catholic Church may have been different if the internet had been widespread in 1992?

Shirky suggests that if the internet had been widespread in 1992, the child abuse scandal in the Catholic Church could have gained more traction earlier. Public access to and sharing of documents would have made it easier to hold institutions accountable, something that only became feasible with widespread internet use by 2000.

5) Why does Shirky argue against paywalls? 

Shirky argues that paywalls harm general news because they limit access for the public, while only benefiting niche areas like financial news.

6) What is a 'social good'? In what way might journalism be a 'social good'?

A social good benefits society as a whole rather than individuals. Journalism can be considered a social good because it informs the public, ensures transparency, and serves the wider community, not just specific people.

7) Shirky says newspapers are in terminal decline. How does he suggest we can replace the important role in society newspapers play? What is the short-term danger to this solution that he describes?

He warns that newspapers are in terminal decline, and new models of accountability journalism are emerging too slowly to replace them immediately. This means there’s a short-term gap where important investigative reporting and oversight may be lost.

8) Look at the first question and answer regarding institutional power. Give us your own opinion: how important is it that major media brands such as the New York Times or the Guardian continue to stay in business and provide news?

I think it’s vital that major media brands like The New York Times and The Guardian remain in operation. They are trusted sources that provide in-depth, reliable reporting. Without them, misinformation could spread more easily, and many important stories might go uncovered.

Part 2: MM55 - Media, Publics, Protest and Power

Media Magazine 55 has an excellent feature on power and the media. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 38 to read the article Media, Publics, Protest and Power', a summary of Media academic Natalie Fenton’s talk to a previous Media Magazine conference. Answer the following questions:

1) What are the three overlapping fields that have an influence on the relationship between media and democracy?

The political field, the economic field, and the journalistic field all shape how media interacts with democratic processes.

2) What is ‘churnalism’ and what issues are there currently in journalism?

Churnalism is the practice of relying heavily on press agency or PR material, often without attribution, and “cut-and-paste” journalism. This leads to a lack of original reporting and can reduce accountability in news coverage.

3) What statistics are provided by Fenton to demonstrate the corporate dominance of a small number of conglomerates? 

Fenton highlights that just three companies control 71% of UK national newspaper circulation, and only five groups dominate more than 80% of combined online and offline news. This shows the concentration of media power in a small number of corporate hands.

4) What is the 'climate of fear' that Fenton writes about in terms of politics and the media? 

Politicians face a “climate of fear” due to the risk of negative publicity that could damage their careers, personal lives, or party’s electoral prospects. This can influence political behaviour and media coverage.

5) Fenton finishes her article by discussing pluralism, the internet and power. What is your opinion on this crucial debate - has the internet empowered audiences and encouraged democracy or is power even more concentrated in the hands of a few corporate giants?

While the internet initially created opportunities for audience participation and democratic engagement, I think real media diversity is still limited by a few powerful corporations like Google and Meta. To promote a more balanced media landscape, audiences need to be critical, seek out independent journalism, and support a variety of news sources.