Journalism in the Age of Social Media

Backroads and Backstories with Paul Bailey

Some of the highlights of the show include:

• Natalie Allison was raised in North Carolina and knew she wanted to be in journalism from a young age. She’s covered a range of topics from breaking news to now politics.
• Her historical inspiration is Dorothy Thompson who covered the rise of fascism and nazism in the 1930’s.
• Her current inspirations are drawn from many streams of media.
• Erik Schelzig went to high school in the Philippines and college in DC where he was working on his Ph. D. in political science, then got a job at The Washington Post and loved it.
• He dropped his Ph. D. and got a Master's and went into Journalism and ended up with the Associated Press.
• He started in Miami, then to West Virginia, followed by Tennessee where he now works at The Tennessee Journal, a weekly publication.
• Mr. Schelzig drew inspiration from Tom Humphrey from Knoxville, Tn, and Richard Locker from Memphis, Tn.
• Senator Bailey asks, how, as an editor and a journalist, have you adapted to the change in news media now that social media and other platforms are in the picture?
• Erik references his blog as a way to adapt, but the other part is that he reminds himself that not everyone is going to see each and every frenzy that goes on in social media. People will miss things and he still has a responsibility to report on important events to make sure they are not forgotten or to tell people about it for the first time, those that may not be on social media.
• Natalie answers the same question. She highlights that she has been a reporter for 8 years and she has always had the expectation of using social media or websites and making sure it gets out on all necessary platforms. She adds, there’s always been a time-sensitive element.
• Sen. Bailey asks her if these changes are good for the consumers of media, the media, or both?
• Natalie answers there are pluses and minuses
• Erik highlights that there are fewer reporters out in the field due to budget cuts, people expect free news now and don’t see the value in paying for news subscriptions.
• Natalie explains how with fewer reporters, fewer stories can be covered, spreading those who are reporting very thin.
• Natalie believes important subjects that aren’t being talked about or covered can be highlighted through news media coverage and create change.
• Erik states there is not an invisible hand that’s guiding what the media should cover or not cover. What is covered boils down to what is interesting.
• The three discuss competition between journalists.
• Sen. Bailey asks what they think about the phrase “fake news”.
• Erik’s most memorable story is the election of Kent Williams as Speaker in the House, in 2009, which caused a huge uproar.
• Natalie’s most memorable moment in 2019 at her first session, the coucher vote day on the House floor.

Links:

• The Tennessean USA Today Network: https://www.tennessean.com/network/
• The Tennessee Journal: https://www.tnjournal.net/
• TNJ: On the Hill: https://onthehill.tnjournal.net/on-the-hill/