36th Annual Scripps Dinner
byFrankie Vigil, Outpost staff / Outpost contributor
|
Dean Slater introduces the speaker for the 36th Scripps Dinner, Jay Harris. Photo by Brian Vance |
"New media is being used to do journalism and no doubt people will find new and better ways to do journalism better," Harris said.
Even with the proliferation of the Internet and studies that show that people are reading newspapers and magazines less and watching less network television, Harris predicted a bright future for the profession of journalism.
"Journalism as we know it will endure," Harris said.
Harris went on to comment that twice during his lifetime he has heard the prediction that newspapers across the nation would fold, that new and different media mediums of take over. However, these predictions have yet to come true and according to Harris each new media such as television and the Internet have embraced and incorporated the previous medium.
While Harris was optimistic of the future of journalism he did state that the new Internet based media is here to stay, but Harris also predicted that even years from now it will still just be a part of other mediums such as radio and television.
The San Jose Mercury News was a leader in multi-language publications and is currently produced in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. Harris commented that this reflected the community in which his newspaper was published and that journalists need to be a part of their community.
He also commented on some of the ethical problems and issues that are facing journalists.
"The line between news and entertainment has been dangerously blurred in the past years," Harris said.
However, Harris reinstated his belief that journalists still have an obligation to be the watchdog of the community and therefore should be committed to making their communities better.
After speaking for an hour Harris entertained some questions and then thanked the School of Journalism for having him.
The Scripp's Dinner is an annual event at the Donald W. Reynolds School of Journalism where jouranalism students, faculty, alumni and quest speakers gather to discuss issues facing the profession of journalism.
|
|
Posted April 19, 2000
Copyright 2000 Nevada Outpost
|
|
|
|
|
Nevada Outpost is produced by
students at the |
|
