Peoples lives are busy! There’s only so many hours in the day and an endless number of things to fit in. Who has time to watch a whole news programme these days? Does anyone really read through every page of a newspaper? Newspapers are still popular on the buses and trains, you might have television news on while you eat your breakfast, but theres no doubt that online journalism is becoming increasingly important, when you need a quick news fix.

Online journalism skills are essential for the journalist in an increasingly digital world. More and more people are choosing to get their news on the internet because its much more immediate than newspapers or TV news. Online, people can choose what type of news they access, they can pick from a varied selection of sources, the news that interests them. As internet news gets more and more readers, for these reasons, it is starting to overtake traditional journalism.

A report issued by the BBC and Reuters entitled Trust in the Media has found that the popularity of the Internet as a source of newsis growing amongst young people.

“Younger people use online sources most, being the first choice among 19 percent aged between 18 and 24, compared to just 3 percent in the 55 – 64 age range.”

They also found that 57 percent of people in the UK valued the opportunity to obtain news online. The report goes on to say,

“National TV news is still the most trusted news source by a wide margin, although the Internet is gaining ground among the young.”

Of course many people still buy newspapers and watch television news but online, you can access points of view not represented in the mainstream UK news. This is particularly important as the BBC/Reuters report found that 46 percent of people say they do not want to get their news from mainstream sources. Online you can access news from all over the world, written by people from all over the world. So as a trainee journalist, I will definately need these online journalism skills in order to compete in this new industry.

News organisations often have online versions of their publications, such as The Times and The Guardian, which claims to be the ‘best daily newspaper on the world wide web’. As many news organisations cut back on editorial staff to save money and make more profit it is becoming harder and harder to find a job as a journalist. This means that in a competitive industry, it is so important for journalists to have the skills to produce online news. An organisation will not have print journalists and online journalists, they will have journalists who are expected to do both. Newspaper staff may be expected to adapt a story that they have written for the newspaper, and make it suitable for publication online. A journalist who can write for print and produce content for the web, is more likely to be chosen for the job. An employer will be more attracted to someone who is multiskilled and can contribute to their online, as well as print publications.

Online journalism skills are essential for me, as a journalist because, as online journalism grows, there are more jobs available working for online publications and the reason I am on this course is to enable me to get a job as a journalist. The journalism industry is so competitive, which makes it so important for journalists to have the skills needed to write for the web and produce online material. Journalists without these skills will just get left behind!