Backpack Journalism

Obviously, my decision to pursue a major in convergence lends to my opinion on the future of our industry. It wouldn't be wise for me to buy into this shift in journalistic practice if I didn't believe it was in fact, here to stay for a while! And I'd like to think I'm a wise person so I agree with a lot of what Jane Stevens argues in her article. One of the greatest attributes of a "multimedia" journalist is his ability to embed himself into stories and situations where he will find compelling stories to tell. We see this everyday in the coverage of war and conflicts, in the aftermath of natural disasters and in other breaking news events when on the scene reporting grabs the greatest number of viewers. As Stevens says, "Two of multimedia's most important characteristics are context and continuity, characteristics that television and print don't have to multimedia's degree." The convergence reporter and producer both know how to work in teams in retrieving the news content, and it is the job of the backpack journalists to deliver the best possible selection of material to the consumer.