Is social media a threat to traditional media?

Social media poses 'existential threat' to traditional, trustworthy news: UNESCO. The business model of the news media is 'broken' and with it, our fundamental right to information is at risk, a new UNESCO report examining global trends in freedom of expression warns.

news.un.org - Social media poses 'existential threat' to traditional, trustworthy news

How much money can you make as an Amazon seller in just 1 month?

What are the average monthly sales for Amazon sellers? Most Amazon sellers make at least $1,000 per month in sales, and some super-sellers make...

Last updated Jan 27, 2018

How to jog faster?

Add tempo runs. Tempo runs are 10 to 45 minute runs at a steady pace, according to Corkum. ... Start weight training. Weight lifting, or strength...

Last updated Jun 30, 2021

Promotion

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) analysed media development trends from 2016 to 2021 and found that global newspaper advertising revenue has fallen by half during the five year period.

Social media feast, news famine

The report indicates that news outlets often struggle to get clicks from readers that determine advertising revenue, and many find themselves “squeezed out” by the proliferation of new voices in the online space and algorithms of digital intermediaries. “The digital ecosystem has unleashed a flood of competing content and turned large internet companies into the new gatekeepers”, the study explains. Moreover, with social media users nearly doubling from 2.3 billion in 2016, to 4.2 billion in 2021, there has been greater access to more content and more voices - but not necessarily with the distinctive added value of journalistic content, the study says.

COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the trend worse by exacerbating the decline of advertising revenue, job losses and newsroom closures, the report finds. In a pandemic, journalism is a life-saving frontline service. However, false content related to COVID-19 spread rapidly on social media, while journalistic job cuts created a ‘significant vacuum’ in the information landscape, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Meanwhile, a survey among 1,400 journalists found that at least two-thirds of them now feel less secure in their jobs, because of the economic pressures of the pandemic. UN News/Laura Quiñones Journalists take a rest after a busy day at the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

Journalists are still under attack

Besides the economic and misinformation/disinformation hurdles journalists face, in the past five years, they have also continued to be targeted around the world. From 2016 to the end of 2021, UNESCO recorded the killings of 455 journalists, who were either targeted as a result of their work, or while on the job. Almost nine out of ten killings remain unresolved, shining light on a general impunity for these crimes around the world. According to the report, there have also been increasing threats to the safety of journalists not only from governments and criminal groups but also from private lobbies and from some members of the public who feel increasingly emboldened to launch slurs and attacks online. In fact, a surge in online violence against journalists is another new and evolving trend, and one which disproportionately affects women journalists all around the world.

Can I monetize 30 seconds video?

You can monetize content that you created as long as you still hold the rights to the video.

Last updated Aug 25, 2021

Can I be self-employed and work for an agency?

Self-Employed and Working for One Agency It's not unusual for self-employed people to do most or all of their work for one agency. You might...

Last updated Jan 10, 2019

Promotion

A 2021 UNESCO paper found that more than seven out of ten of women journalists surveyed had experienced online violence and a fifth reported being victims of offline violence in connection with online threats.

©UNESCO/ Enos Teche Journalists covering a terrorist attack in Kenya.

Worrying imprisonments

At the same time, attacks against journalists covering protests, demonstrations and riots are “worryingly common” while imprisonment of journalists has reached record highs. In many countries, laws do not protect journalists against these threats, and in some, they actually increase the risk of them. According to the report, since 2016, 44 countries have adopted or amended new laws that contain vague language or threaten disproportionate punishments for actions like spreading so-called fake news, alleged rumours, or “cyber-libel”, leading to self-censorship. Meanwhile, in 160 countries charges of defamation are still a criminal offence. When defamation law is criminal, rather than civil, it can be used as grounds for arrest or detention, effectively muzzling journalists, UNESCO warns. The report cites data from the Committee to Protect Journalists showing that 293 journalists were imprisoned in 2021, the highest yearly total in three decades. Unsplash/Bank Phrom News being accessible for free on social media has led to a massive hindrance of newspaper sales.

Recommendations

In light of the worrying trends, UNESCO urged governments to take policy-driven action in three key areas to protect independent media and journalists’ safety. Supporting the economic viability of independent news media while respecting the professional autonomy of journalists. Governments can, for example, offer tax benefits to independent news outlets in a fair and transparent manner, and without compromising editorial independence. Developing media and information literacy, to teach all citizens the difference between reliable, verified information and unverified information, and encouraging the public to obtain information from independent media.

news.un.org - Social media poses 'existential threat' to traditional, trustworthy news

Why do single people pay more taxes?

You pay more in taxes. Income earned by single people is taxed at a higher percentage than the income of married people filing jointly with a...

Last updated Jan 2, 2018

What do entrepreneurs fear most?

Fear of uncertainty They're afraid of losing control if they can't handle possible outcomes. Taking risk into the unknown is scary because you...

Last updated Feb 9, 2020

Promotion

What are examples of digital marketing?

Examples of Digital Marketing Assets Social Media Profiles. Website. Images and Video Content. Blog Posts and eBooks. Reviews and Customer...

Last updated Jun 26, 2021

Promotion

What has China stolen?

China is known to have stolen classified information on the W-56 Minuteman II ICBM, the W-62 Minuteman III ICBM, the W-70 Lance short-range...

Last updated Nov 4, 2022