Seminar report 2

Knowledge equals power
Newspapers have always been a threat to authority and a challenge to power, announced Rachel Morris.
Morris was the first of three speakers discussing journalism at the University of Newcastle, yesterday.
With the invention of the telegraph in 1844 the first news story was able to be transmitted beginning the instant gratification trend of audiences today.
The radio, television and the Internet followed making newspapers somewhat inadequate to fulfil their past roles.
“From the debate about newspaper finances to how we fund public-service television to just how much Twitter is really worth, we live in uncertain times,” said Morris.
“Soon all news will be online. Journalists of the future need to be multi-skilled, adaptable, resourceful and creative.”
It is often noted that audiences demand speed and the news hole is becoming more bottomless than full.
Recently the guardian wrote, “From the debate about newspaper finances to how we fund public-service television to just how much Twitter is really worth, we live in uncertain times”.
Yet Morris noted that the monotony of news content is mainly focussed at a standard western audience.
Even citizen journalism is being produced by those affluent enough to own a computer and have access to education and the Internet.
If Morris is right and all content moves online the digital divide between the rich and poor, the old and the young, will create groups of marginalised people unable to access the fourth estate.
Is this the future we want? By buying this paper you have already answered the question.