In the introduction of New Technology and the Media: An Uneasy Alliance the author John V. Pavlik effectively outlines the historical ambivalence that established journalistic outlets have held towards emerging information technologies. In addition, he delves into how the habitual apprehension of these organizations have and will impact their influence on society at large. Pavlik begins by recounting a short history of established journalism’s sporadic adoption of innovative information technologies. Then he goes on to write about the new creative and profit-making opportunities that the most recent innovations can provide. He concludes his introduction by discussing the ethical dilemmas caused by a digital media environment that prioritizes efficiency over accuracy and reliability.
This excerpt my Pavlik raises many of the same points made in the in-class video regarding the life cycle of information. They both discuss how the variety modern media outlets, that have only increased with emerging information technologies, provide differing interpretations of unfolding events along with providing differing degrees of accuracy. In my mind both the excerpt and the story bring to mind the question ” Are all these technological innovations advancing or stifling the goal of news oriented media?”.
