Technology is breathing new life into journalism. The world is smaller and access to national news is easy. Consumers don’t just read news any more; they experience it with photographs, audio, video and interactive maps. With national and international coverage so readily available, local coverage has more of a responsibility to its constituents.
With the growth in technology comes the ability to abuse, which is how I would feel if my local government were being reported on from India.
The original post on craigslist.org read, “We seek a newspaper journalist based in India to report on the city government of Pasadena, California, USA.”
James Macpherson, editor and publisher of Pasadena Now, is outsourcing coverage of Pasadena City Council to two reporters 9,000 miles away.
The idea a reporter can cover a complex growing community from the other side of the world is a slap in the face. I am so excited with the opportunities technology is bringing to storytelling. I fear that the way we choose to use technology could undermine the meaning of journalism and divide us from our communities.