The news, past to future
This evening, CBC proved that the future is always just one step ahead. Imagine it: a program about the news, in lieu of. The big names from the national centers were here, on the Island. In the Confed Centre, with a sold out hall. A discussion about how the reporting of news is evolving.
And I watched it, on the iPad, in a comfortable chair with my feed provided by Facebook Live. Glitch free, for an hour, with the ability to input comments. The topic fascinated me, given that I’ve been a consumer of “the news” for most of my life. Obviously, the medium has changed. From those copies of the Guardian, dropped off from the morning train to my place on the waiting room floor… to now. In between, the evening news. Then the news “on the hour”. Through to a steady stream of content, from social media (thank you, Twitter feed) and websites and the occasional chances to listen to news on the car radio. Lots of opportunity.
The panel came with a different perspective. We’ve gone from reporters composing stories in time for paste up (think of the Guardian) to streams of consciousness from the smartphone of the day. My own dabbling with a camera and film (quick, get to the darkroom and process this stuff) to here, where I comment (not report) on the news cycle of the last day… every day. The panel members (Rex, Susan, Tom, Peter, Rosie, Ian and Mark) all labour with the intention of bringing us the best content, told in a truthful way. What more can we ask for?
