Backpack Journalism

Jacqueline Lampert
Jane Stevens has many positive and valid points of why backpack journalism “is here to stay.” The demand for new ways to present the news to audiences is increasing at an accelerated pace. Think back to elementary school and try to remember how you got the news. If you were like me, you got your news from either the newspaper, radio, or TV. With the constant change in technology, we are now able to access the news in a plethora of ways other than newspapers, radio, or TV. “So, in a few years, backpack journalists – or at least those who are familiar with backpack and converged journalism – will not only be the rule, they’ll rule. And rock.” I have realized that to succeed in the journalism field, you now need to understand how to do some form of multimedia. Stevens said “convergence and multimedia will change the face, heart, and guts of newsrooms over the next 20 years.” I can see that being even sooner. When I was interviewing for different internships at media companies, I was continually told that they are looking for people who understand multimedia and can produced something at an efficient rate.