The Superman Journalist

The idea of a "backpack journalist" could literally be taken out of a comic strip. You can almost visualize a sketch of a person with an overflow of technological luggage. They have their camera, or at times cameras, laptops, phones, cords, batteries, and the list can go on and on. It's an entertaining idea to witness a person then trying to cover a breaking news story, jumping through crowds, somersaulting through danger, while managing to capture that "perfect moment." While this has started out light-hearted, I believe the overall concept of a "backpack journalist" is groundbreaking. It's almost like Superwoman (or man). What news outlets wouldn't want to employ a person who can do it all? After all news is a business. If one person can deliver the same  information a team of four does, it is significantly cheaper to go with the one-man show. There are some drawbacks to individual reporting. I know from personal experience that some of my best work has been motivated form feedback or combined ideas from teammates. I believe it is possible for one person to create and capture a quality story, but I do agree with the article by Martha Stone that it is important to have a management and productions team to not only support you, but also spread some of the work. The bottom-line is that not one person can be super at everything. With backing form media outlets, I believe multimedia sites could one day replace television broadcasts of news. While reading "Backpack Journalism is here to Stay" I began trying to think of how often I turn on my TV, not only to watch the news but shows in general. The number is much smaller than you would guess. The article referred to the idea that one day everything will be converted to the web. We are starting to see examples of that already. I now forgo the TV broadcast of shows and choose to watch them online, at my convenience with limited commercials. News is leading TV shows in the same path they have already begun exploring. Multimedia sites allow news-seekers to get their information when they need or want it. The most recent, up-to-date news is available at your fingertips. Not only is it accessible, but you can sift through and find relevant  information and then even comment or add to it through chats and blogs. To me this almost sounds like ideal journalism. Of course nothing is perfect. "Backpack Journalism is a Mush of Mediocrity" brings up the idea through a one-man show quality can be lost. I believe this gives journalist a greater responsibility to be self-checkers and not only squeak by with mediocre work, but also finish with the best. This is another reason why support form management is important. They must be held accountable to provide quality and continuous training. Technology is always advancing, so we must continue to educate ourselves through our career fields. I believe "backpack journalists" and multimedia websites are a step in the right direction for the future of journalism. It will take awhile to perfect, just as the oldest forms of journalism are still tweaking and improving the way the public gets its information. Most importantly journalism itself is not a one-man show. We cannot be Superman or Wonder Woman, but we can strive towards perfection.