In an era where print journalism is appearing more and more like the last dodo, looking around and wondering where everyone went, one man still seems to think he can bring the species back from the brink. He is, of course, Rupert Murdoch. Today, in my latest column at Pajamas Media, I take a look at Murdoch’s lofty goals and how he hopes to achieve them. For a perhaps chilling peek at his line of thought, though, here’s a short excerpt.
So how does this powerful media mogul plan to make a dysfunctional and apparently unprofitable enterprise function in the 21st century? According to his recent remarks, he will focus on his ability to “give people the news they want.” While this has traditionally been a sure-fire path to success in other areas of marketing, that one phrase alone should be enough to send chills up the spines of serious consumers of current events.
Giving people “the news they want?” Isn’t that pretty much the opposite of the definition of journalism? I mean, for any serious consumer of news, the whole point is that you’re going to hear some things you don’t care for and some items that make you smile. Feeding people’s preconceived biases and ideas may turn out to be a route to profitability, but it’s the beginning of a path to the death of real journalism. Of course, it may already be far too late, so this may turn out to be more of an obituary than a warning.