Danny Schechter ist ein Medienkritiker, Produzent, Filmemacher und Autor. Als TV-Journalist war er für ABC und CNN tätig, bevor er vor zwei Jahrzehnten auf die „andere" Seite wechselte und die unabhängige Medienplattform mediachannel.org gründete. Auf seinem Blog newsdissector.org/blog setzt er sich mit globaler Politik und dem Strukturwandel in der Medienindustrie kritisch auseinander.
Multimedia09: Mr. Schechter, you combine “classic” journalism background with new online media. How would you “dissect” the development of media in the past few years? Based on your experience both as an active journalist and as media observer, how did the Internet change the journalism? What's your take on the "Citizen Journalism" that eliminates the boundaries between producers and consumers of information?
Danny Schechter: The news media has gone from a period of exuberance and arrogance to a period of contraction and fear with many newspapers at risk and their "revenue model" shattered even as online journalism grows. This has led to attempts by newspapers to get into the online world and considering how to charge for it. Rupert Murdoch is about to launch a war on the free internet. I am still a newspaper and magazine reader--old habits die hard---but I also get most of my information and stimulation from online sites. I wrote a book in 2005 called THE DEATH OF MEDIA (Melville Books) It chronicled the trends and warned the house of cards will collapse. (I did the same, alas with no effect on the financial crisis. My book also spoke of the fight to save our democracy because clearly an informed electorate is essential. Citizen journalism is fighting an uphill battle with more opinion than reporting although sites like globalvoicesonline do a great service in bringing blogger stories and perspectives from around the world. The internet has made journalism a 24/7 speeded up process with more people relying on headlines from popular sites than in-depth reporting. Whats great is the access to world media even if most consumers don't avail themselves of it.
Multimedia09: Do you use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter? Do you consider them as appropriate channels and sources for journalists? Do you think that specific subjects should be combined with specific media: would you twitter rather than blog about the financial crisis?
Danny Schechter: Yes I do, just discovering Twitter. Less active on Facebook. Did a feel that explores how the Obama campaign used social networking to great advantage.
Some in Guatamala was charged with causing a financial crisis by twittering a call for people to remove money from "a bank of corruption." I am just exploring how to twitter on the crisis. See my most recent article:
http://www.mediachannel.org/wordpress/2009/05/15/tweet-tweet-confessions-of-a-twittering-newbie/
Multimedia09: How does the financial crisis affect the media organizations and what implications does it have for the future of journalism?
Danny Schechter: Its having two impacts---causing a crisis at media outlets dependent on large infusions of capital by investors --usually as part of conglomerates--but also showing how poor their journalism was on warning of us. I wrote a piece on this for the British Journalism Review that was cited/picked up by BBC, Financial Times, Guardian and media outlets in Israel, India, Germany, France etc--BUT NOT IN MY OWN COUNTRY!
Multimedia09: In its context, can the fact that online journalism is cheaper turn out to be it’s most important advantage over the “classic” media?
Danny Schechter: There are many excellent financial blogs and online sources more up to the minute than newspapers and at the same time many compromised TV sources. I am touching on this ina new film I am making---see http://www.newsdissector.com/plunder
Multimedia09: When you think of journalism in 10 years, are you rather a pessimist or an optimist?
Danny Schechter: I am always an optimist because a new generation is taking charge.
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