News is one of the oldest forms of mass communication and is often referred to as the public media or mass media. It is used by literally everyone in various capacities across the globe and has always been considered one of the major sources of information and knowledge on the planet. Today, news is being presented in different formats including newspapers, magazines, radio, cable TV, websites, etc. News provides an instant and first hand account of an event with the exception of any later speculation about the same.
All forms of news media are subjective in nature and depend greatly on the interpretation of the media’s power. The most popular and widely interpreted news media are the mass media such as television, radio and newspapers while the Internet has also become a significant source of information for many people. The newspapers first published news stories decades ago, starting with the British newspaper and magazine industry. Nowadays, newspapers still provide extensive material on political, business and environmental news. The mass media is predominantly a visual medium with correspondents from all parts of the world making themselves available virtually every hour of every day.
The major news organizations are usually run by newspapers and magazines owned by large publishing companies. They cover all aspects of human life from sports, entertainment, education, healthcare, and politics. These publications provide a quick summary of breaking news stories through their own dedicated wire service or via online feeds. The most important feature of the mass media is its ability to convey a story rapidly to the audience. This is mainly due to the large number of television sets around the world and the rapid transmission capability offered by satellites and cable transmitters.
News online journalism is a relatively new field in comparison to the mass media and yet it is catching up fast. Online journalism has emerged as the most convenient and effective way to get current news stories. Unlike the TV networks, major newspapers or magazines do not have a website where the general public can subscribe to get news stories. They rely exclusively on their own news reporters and multimedia teams to deliver their news stories on their websites and blogs.
Fake news and fabricated news stories have damaged the overall credibility of the main article. In the age of the internet, it is difficult to distinguish between real news and fake news. Social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter have contributed to the problem. As more people become active users of these social media outlets, the proliferation of fake news stories have given rise to numerous complaints from users about the proliferation of fake news on the web. This has further eroded the credibility of the main article and has chilled press freedom worldwide. Hence, the need for a strong form of digital protection has been inculcated by the journalists and media owners to prevent this situation from worsening.
To combat this problem, news organizations are now developing hybrid forms of online journalism that combines elements of traditional journalism and blogging. For instance, some news organizations are incorporating video blogging into their news stories to add a live element to their reporting. Online journalists can make use of published stories and footage along with their personal judgment to craft engaging news stories based on extensive research and experience. The first step to protect the authenticity of news is to identify sources that cannot be trusted. News organizations should be able to crosscheck any information that is provided by a source through multiple channels to ensure that they are not getting false information. Hybrid online journalism will henceforth help news organizations in ensuring that their online journalism maintains high standards of credibility.