The New Age of Digital News
There is no doubt that we live in a digitally connected society. Almost any information we need can be found at the touch of a button, and communication can be facilitated between individuals instantly regardless of where they are in the world. We have access to breaking news the second it happens, and social functionality gives everyone the voice to share their thoughts and opinions.
User generated content has become the face of digital media. Thanks to a study completed by ACI, we now knew just how much content is shared online every minute. In just 60 seconds we create over 2.5 million shares on Facebook, 300,000 tweets, 220,000 images on Instagram, 72 hours of YouTube video, 200 million emails, and 50,000 app downloads.
Signal to Noise ratio
While many view the changing face of digital media as a positive thing, there is one serious disadvantage. We're no longer consuming as much high-quality content, instead favoring independent editorials. As a society, we need to have access to reports, academic papers, and journalistic grade articles. Today, this type of content is harder than ever to find. But a few sources are attempting to address this change, and improve accessibility to digital news.
Curated Journalism
Journalism isn't necessarily about finding the content you want to know. It's about finding the content you need to know. Blendle is one of the first professionally curated news sources that provides you with access to articles from The New York times, TIME magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, and countless other established media entities.
Usenet is another popular source for scientific and medical journals, academic papers, and other peer-reviewed content. Usenet offers these journals a way to have their content published inexpensively. Thanks to the digital infrastructure supporting the Usenet network, it's also inexpensive for users to access it. Content is categorized by the source, so users can choose the sources they trust and have real-time access to the content they demand.
Behind the Paywall
Journalistic integrity requires content creators to remain financially independent from their work. When users are paying for the content, their loyalties are to the reader. With both Usenet and Blendle, the companies have found a way to offer a wide selection of news at a price that is affordable to consumers. Blendle charges only 25 cents per article, while Usenet has a low monthly fee.
With luck, our society will once again understand that inherent value in professional content. Having accurate, well-researched information provides us with what we need to make informed decisions. With the changes we've seen, it's clear that we are now entering the new age of digital news.