MeiMei TongThe journalism industry has faced tremendous challenges in recent decades. Traditional media outlets such as newspapers have grappled with shrinking revenues. Some news consumers are broadly going to social media for news instead of traditional media outlets.
Despite those challenges, one journalist with the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post believes journalism and journalists play an important role in the social media-driven future.
“The journalism industry is now facing a serious crisis. People are generally pessimistic and question whether this profession still needs to exist,” said Stephen Chen, a science editor at the Hong Kong-based newspaper.
He said one key role journalists still have: recording history in a factual, objective and reliable way.
“It’s just like the history documents we read today. Many of the people who wrote them were actually recording events as they happened—just like what journalists do now,” he said.
Professional journalists are still essential, he said, even in an age dominated by social media because of journalism’s role in verifying facts and information.
“Some people may ask, now that social media is so widespread, do we still need professional journalists?” Chen said. “But social media is constantly changing. What someone posts today can be deleted or changed tomorrow. And often, it’s hard to verify what’s true.”
He also mentioned how journalism has the ability to hold powerful people accountable and give a voice to perspectives that may not be heard otherwise.
By investigating wrongdoing and amplifying the voices of everyday people and marginalized groups, he said, journalists continue to play a vital role in society. He said in uncertain times, journalism may face challenges, but its mission is more relevant than ever.
“In my view, this crisis may actually push journalism back to its essential role,” he said.
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Grace Siener