1)Why does Clay Shirky argue that 'accountability journalism' is so important and what example does he give of this?
Clay Shirky's argument is that 'accountability journalism' is so important, he talks about how much he values journalism. He further goes on to talk about how journalism actually benefits the public. The example Shirky uses to argue the importance of accountability journalism is the story of the Catholic Church crisis in which the Boston Globe had the power of exposing the Church for allowing children to be abused by Father John Geoghan. However, if the Boston Globe didn't have the power of being able to expose the Church, the public would carry on believing everything was fine and therefore, Shirky uses this story to explain why accountability journalism is so important.
2)What does Shirky say about the relationship between newspapers and advertisers? Which websites does he mention as having replaced major revenue-generators for newspapers (e.g. jobs, personal ads etc.)?
Shirky's main point about the relationship between newspapers and advertisers is that, advertisers didn't really get the recognition they deserved. Shirky states that people/journalists would use their advertising in order to get their stories out and publicised. He therefore, goes on to speak about the importance of advertisers and says that without advertisers journalists wouldn't be as successful. Shirky mentions that Monster and Match and Craigslist are two websites that have replaced major revenue-generators for newspapers.
3) Shirky talks about the 'unbundling of content'. This means people are reading newspapers in a different way. How does he suggest audiences are consuming news stories in the digital age?
He suggests that audiences in this day and age are completely forgetting about newspapers, and mainly viewing/accessing their information online. He believes that a reason for this is because it's easily accessible online rather than going out and getting a newspaper. He also states that people mainly go on social platforms such as Twitter to read news, rather than websites such as the Times or the Daily Mail.
4)Shirky also talks about the power of shareable media. How does he suggest the child abuse scandal with the Catholic Church may have been different if the internet had been widespread in 1992?
Shirky believes that if the Internet was more successful back in 1992 and people were more aware of it, the scandal with the Catholic Church would've gone in a completely different way. He believes that the Priest would've been caught and convicted much quicker and more people would've been more aware of it. However, due to the internet being not so popular or successful the story got out much slower and less people were aware of what had happened.
5)Why does Shirky argue against paywalls?
He argues against paywalls because he believes that having these paywalls, they in fact spoil general news, and instead has more of a benefit financially for news. He also states that having these paywalls on high/well-known institutions just gives audiences to go on websites that have free online news, and therefore well effect higher institutions as nobody will go on their sites anymore, but instead just go on sites with free news.
6)What is a 'social good'? In what way is journalism a 'social good'?
Social good is something that benefits a large number of people is the largest possible way. One example of journalism being 'social good' is through journalists investigating certain matters and being able to expose certain events that will later lead to good/justice, for example the story of the Catholic Church.
7)Shirky says newspapers are in terminal decline. How does he suggest we can replace the important role in society newspapers play? What is the short-term danger to this solution that he describes?
Shirky strongly believes that newspapers are something that can't be replaced, and believes that us as an audience need to find an effective way in order to save the industry of newspapers or they will decline.
8) Look at the first question and answer regarding institutional power. Give us your own opinion: how important is it that major media brands such as the New York Times or the Guardian continue to stay in business and provide news?
In my opinion, I do believe that major media brands such as the New York Times and The Guardian need to stay in business because there's still a vast majority of people that still look to newspapers such as the New York Times. Also, I believe people still enjoy reading newspapers and therefore, it's very important that media brands such as the New York Times stay in business.
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