Democracy and Journalism

In Ecology and Democracy: Citizen Journalism in the Digital Age, I read that James Carey said democracy and journalism are intertwined, historically variable, and greatly dependent upon the affordances of current communicative technologies. I could easily see how the last two relate to democracy and journalism, but I could not see how they were intertwined. It wasn't til later that I figured out how they are intertwined, and I do agree. The changing of the outside world in terms of technology, or popular ideas changes the ways of both democracy and journalism.

These changes can be seen just by looking around. Technology has changed, and it is still changing. Every new TV or computer that comes out has to be better and more advanced than the next. The changes can also be seen in the current environment system versus the legacy system. The legacy system moved news in basically one way, from the producers to the consumers. This system is being replaced by the current environment system that allows producers to produce news and also consume it. This interactive style can be seen online, where at most news sites you can comment on a story, and provide your own input on the matter. The new environment allows a person to not only read the news, but also hear it, see it, and talk about it. Because of the advancements in technology, news can be delivered to mass audiences. A story that takes place in Ann Arbor can be read by someone in Phoenix.

There are a few keys to the digital environment. These keys are they have to be decentralized (distribute the power), unfiltered (not censored), many-to-many (people can input information to and receive information from the Internet, they will also be able to connect and communicate with other people), and egalitarian (equal). There has been quite a change in the media environment over the last few years.