Cyber-Journalist Responsibilities

"The Internet is all about speed, and this can be both a strength and weakness of Internet news. The rush to out scoop the competition has always been a part of journalism, but the Internet has accelerated this" (Goldsborough, 2009).

The internet provides a much faster means of breaking the latest news stories than traditional print media. The internet also allows stories to be edited, corrected, and updated immediately. The ability to instantly publish articles is undeniably powerful and should, in theory, be a far superior medium for journalism. In reality, the freedom and speed of internet publication becomes a hindrance to readers who are often times left wondering, “Is what I’m reading accurate?” Internet writers need to be cautious when publishing articles; they need to be sure their story is verifiable. Even though mistakes can be corrected quickly, the initial false report of even the smallest detail can spread quickly and be devastating.

Competition among peers and publications is the sine qua non of journalism. The pressure placed on some writers by their publications could easily cause an otherwise detail oriented author to hastily throw together a hodge-podge, erroneously reported story. Such was the case in 2008, when CNN iReport falsely reported that Apple cofounder Steve Jobs had suffered a heart attack (Goldsborough, 2009). False reports like these are published by overzealous, trigger happy journalists who don’t take the time to verify the legitimacy of their sources. The speed of the internet allows false stories, such as Steve Jobs’ heart attack, to spread like digital wildfire. The consequences can be disastrous for both the reporter and the subject of the story.

Careful consideration needs to be taken before professionals publish a news story. The delay in creating old fashioned print journalism allows for stories to be fact checked and approved by editors. This is not to say that false stories do not get published in newspapers, but it does keep the amount of inaccurate reports to a minimum. In internet publication, the responsibility lies with the journalist to make sure their stories check out and all facts are accurate. Accuracy of the news needs to be valued higher than the speed of delivery; journalists need to respect the rapid fire transmission of information on the web, and assume responsibility for their contributions to cyber space.

GOLDSBOROUGH, R. (2009, April 6). The Internet as the Great Equalizer Has Its Good Points and Bad. Community College Week, 21(16), 20-20. Retrieved September 25, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database.