Ride the wave, scribe

FRANK SENGE KOLMA concludes his commentary on the threat to the professional journalist posed by social media with an upbeat advice.

THE professional journalist is challenged by the citizen journalist daily.
The citizen journalist is everywhere, in every field, with eyes and ears to the ground.
She speaks in every language in text, video or voice and can reach everywhere literally.
For political correctness reference to the female gender in this article includes the male.
It is a challenge which the professional journalist cannot simply wish away or ignore in the hope it will go away.
Needless for words, the social media is here to stay and the dedicated citizen journalist, with time and experience, is getting good at her job.
The citizen journalists does her reporting as a hobby.
She earns her bread in her day job while the professional journalist depends on journalism alone for her upkeep.
The citizen journalist is willing to suffer some costs (phone credits) to do her work but then offers her product free of charge to a global audience while the professional journalist needs to sell her work most often to a limited audience.
So what to do colleagues?
What to do!!?
In my humble view, we must go by the ancient maxim: If you cannot beat it, join it.
Since we cannot beat back the tsunami that is the internet and its offspring – social media – we must ride the wave.
(I can’t imagine Isaac Nicholas on a surf board but here goes.)
The question is: How?
First, realise that the internet is an opportunity, not a threat.
It is the most powerful tool available to any trade, including and especially journalism.
The tsunami threat spoken off above comes from its use, not the tool itself.

Mold the tool to your own specifications and it should serve you as well as the next person.
Citizen journalism arose out of social media which spun off the internet.
The internet was designed primarily for military use originally but in its later use it went public and, as they say these days, viral.
Today, it has gone the full circle and poses very serious military threats to those engaged in that theatre of human affairs.
Journalism has, through the internet and related new developments in information technology, its best opportunity yet to climb to greater heights yet.
The profession which prides itself in information gathering, sorting and publication is presented with instantaneous access to all sorts of information.
This profession, more than any other, should be best suited to handle this onslaught of information because it is right up its alley, so to speak.
We must treat the internet as just another source of information.
And since we treat it as a news and information source we apply the ancient rules of our trade: We question the source and the credibility of that source to ensure the information contained and obtained is accurate and a fair representation of the facts.
If that were ever done then we can remain yet the untrammelled kings and queens of news and information.
The temptation to rush off to publication with information which has arrived over social media is dangerous.
Treat social media posts as tips which need verification and we should be alright.
It is as simple as asking pertinent questions back to the person who posts tips in the first place.
Social media users like people to respond and posters respond fast to responses so no “no comment” in that direction for sure.
For the professional journalist, the leg-work, as we used to call it, cannot be replaced.
To see, to hear, to feel – personally – remain the professional journalist’s best tools.
The other positive point is that social media is no serious threat really.
Most people today disregard what is on social media as unreliable or as credible information sources excepting dedicated blogs, sites and information-and-news-specific sites or applications.
The citizen journalist is first and foremost an amateur, the traditional journalist is the professional.
Let not that be reversed and the professional journalist can rule yet.
The professional must today do the things he has done before with a far greater sense of urgency, care and due diligence checks if she is to keep on top of and ahead of the citizen journalist.
To get ahead and stay ahead, the professional journalist needs to do two further things at about the same time.
She needs, firstly, to go back to basics and oil rusty gears and tools and brush up on rules, codes and practices of the trade.
No amount of technological advancement can replace the fine old disciplines and practices of the trade.
Second, the journalist needs to keep herself abreast of technological advancements so that he or she is able to comfortably and competently apply it to the trade.
Newsroom managers and journalists must seriously turn to on-the-job-counselling, advice and training.
More resources needs to be extended in contact making and engaging trained and qualified professionals in other fields who can write competently about developments in their areas.
Since timeliness is lost to social media, it is best to focus on substance and depth which the professional journalist can do best.
In every age, technological developments have always posed serious threats to certain practices but it is the persons who have ridden the wave that have always succeeded.
Ride this tsunami colleague and olgeta samting bai namo (everything should be all right).