Methods of Broadcast and Print Journalism must come together to meet the demands of a changing digital world

Ladue students Lillian Donahue reports from FOX2 News about the science behind weather.

Ladue student Lillian Donahue reports from FOX2 News about the science behind weather. Camera Operator: Samantha Weil

By Lillian Donahue 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but how about thirty pictures every second for a minute? Thats a lot of words, stories, feelings, and inspirations packed into sixty seconds of video.

For over a hundred years, photo and print journalism brought laughter, heartache, breaking news, opinions, and recreation to millions of people every day. It heightened expectations in writing and literacy. But just as the horse and buggy turned to cars, letters to email, and radio to television, changing times are forever morphing the way we look at journalism.

While both broadcasting and print journalism may specialize in something different, it’s imperative that they ultimately find a way to digitally come together.

Print newspapers create a picture in the mind of the reader with vivacious adjectives, photography, and captivating stories. Print journalism has been a primary way of information for hundreds of years, capturing life within the lines of a newspaper or magazine. Print journalism can be accessible to many people. Unlike video, print does not require a TV or the internet, allowing the news to possibly be more wide-ranging.

Broadcast Journalism creates a picture in the mind of the viewer with visuals, sound, and storytelling. Nightly news has provided entertainment and breaking news to millions of families for many years. Video gives the audience an opportunity to experience the story, to hear people, see other cultures and be immersed in an experience. Broadcast journalism has quickly become so mainstream that it is easy to forget the time and effort behind every shot, story, and interview.

Because of the range of audiences and talents shared by both print and video, both mediums can be digitally beneficial to each other.

Broadcast news stations and newspaper companies are converging for publicity. One can help publicize a story for another and vice versa. Another pro of cross communication between print and video journalists, are the different talents and specialties in each discipline. Print and video journalists can collaborate to cover the full spectrum of news and storytelling.

On the other hand, some stories need video. Many stories require colors and sounds to create a certain atmosphere or emotion. With both types of storytelling, print and broadcast, a wider range of stories can reach the public.

Finally, as the internet has taken over our modern age, multimedia and digital sharing is more and more common. Videos are linked with print stories and vise versa. Successful journalists now must possess the talents of both writing and broadcast production.

Broadcast and print journalism have unique talents that contribute to telling a strong story. In the age of technology and digital media, it is imperative that both methods of journalism come together to meet the demands of a changing world. Print and video both have one goal in common; the fact that they are hoping to evoke emotion, inform, share the world, and ultimately create that once in a lifetime story.

Lillian Donahue is a sophomore at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St.Louis, MO. Lillian works on her school’s monthly television show Ladue View, and produces video news packages for both television and online media. Lillian is an active active blogger as well. To view some of Lillian’s work, visit her website.

Written By: Don Goble