News in the online environment can be defined by the
speed, user, format and content. According to Boczkowski, “Instead of being primarily
journalist-centered, the news online appears increasingly to be also
user-centered." He also mentioned that in the online environment, users
have a much greater direct effect on the news.
This shows that online
news can come from almost anyone with an internet connection to share news
through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and etc. Speed
signifies the highest difference to traditional news, as users on the scene of
an incident can capture the scene of street brawl or an incident of fire break
out faster than any news source can cover. Any users can definitely upload it
on social sites faster than editors can edit them thus making them raw news
online.
In 2012, almost everything is news and almost
everyone from all backgrounds and without proper journalistic training or
experience becomes a "news reporter" and "journalist". Twitter
and Facebook users with high followers tend to trust people on their links
therefore the contents shared are usually within the same interest connection.
However online rumors can be viral such as the earlier rumor on Rowan Atkinson
and Jackie Chan’s death went global without confirmation to its source. As
Matthew Ingram tweeted “It is important to remember that our followers trust
us, so incumbent on us to check things before RT (sharing)”. This in hand
relies on users’ common sense and capability to check on sources before sharing.
According to Felix Salmon from Reuters said "rumors happen on
Twitter, and then they get shot down — no harm no foul. Online news that is
shared will not go through formal confirmation or filtered leading to
untrustworthy news circulating the web. Therefore people share unconfirmed
rumors or news on social media sites like they are in the newsroom or our daily
conversation of exchanging thoughts in words. Felix says that social media
sites are no different from newsroom where journalist exchange information and
news which are not confirmed but only rumors. However Julie Moos, director of
Poynter.org says that “Speed kills, but slowness is a painful death of its
own.” Twitter is one of the places where dilemma such as this exists.
The conclusion is that internet
has redefining present news in the online environment more than a newsroom can
handle. It has reached a user-participated medium on news sharing and where
speed is essential with smartphones. Speed is essential but so is accuracy and
credibility of the news or rumor at hand. Ideas are exchanged on social sites
but it can be misused by certain parties just for gag such as Michael Robert
Meras ‘joke’ claim of Mr. Bean’s death.
References
Anon (2011). Jackie Chan death hoax hits Twitter.
GMA News. Retrieved from 25 July 2012, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/216469/scitech/jackie-chan-death-hoax-hits-twitter
Anon(2011). Jackie Chan Death Hoax Sweeps Social
Medial. The Inquisitr. Retrieved from 25 July 2012, http://www.inquisitr.com/135052/jackie-chan-dead-august-2011/
Boczkowski, PB (2004). Redefining the News Onliine. A USC Annenberg: Online Journalism
Review. Retrieved from 25 July 2012, http://www.ojr.org/ojr/workplace/1075928349.php
Gardner, T (2012). RIP Mr Bean: False rumour of
actor Rowan Atkinson’s death trends worldwide on Twitter. Mail Online.
Retrieved from 25 July 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2106780/Rowan-Atkinson-death-hoax-trends-worldwide-Twitter-RIP-Mr-Bean.html
Myers, S (2011). Should journalists confirm
information before passing it along on Twitter. Poynter.org. Retrieved from 25
July 2012, http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/141100/should-journalists-confirm-information-before-passing-it-along-on-twitter/
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