The Evolution of Broadcast Journalism
Turn on your TV around 5 p.m. and you’ll see dozens of news shows happening in real time. Since 1940, people have been turning to broadcasted news to learn about their communities and things going on across the world.
If we take a trip back in time to the start of broadcast journalism, it begins with radio. Radio shows helped spread information to a wide audience quickly and efficiently. It quickly became a powerful tool for journalists to share breaking news before it was able to be printed in a newspaper. According to DPLA, the first radio news broadcast was on Election Day in 1920. A radio station in Pennsylvania aired live updates to give people updates in real time. This first newscast changed the way people got their information and also paved the way for a new era of sharing news.
Over a few short years, technology improved and more radio stations were created because of the high demand for news programs. In the 1930’s, Edward Murrow became a household name across the country for his radio reporting. Him and other journalists were given the responsibility of reporting on everyday events, sharing opinions, and engaging with their audience.
A new era of broadcast news began in the 1950’s when television programs became a staple in American households, according to NYFA. After World War II, more and more families were getting TV sets and used them as a way of bringing people together. The same big networks that ran the radio industry, like CBS and NBC, took their newscasts to the big screen. They used the visual aspect of television to create more of an impact on their viewers and showed them events unfolding in real time.
Audiences made a connection with their anchors and reporters and trusted them as sources of information. Murrow continued his career on screen and is still seen as one of the founding members of broadcast news.
CNN revolutionized broadcast journalism in 1980 with the idea of 24-hour news coverage. They produced constant news shows with updates and breaking information. Other cable networks soon followed and increased the demand for a flow of new details at every moment of the day.
Soon almost every family watched the nightly news to catch up on their days. They were able to watch iconic historic events happen, like the assassination of JFK, NASA’s Challenger explosion, and the trial of O.J. Simpson (Current).
Another switch to broadcast news came with the rise of the internet. Instead of crowding around a TV every night, people were able to look up information on the spot. News organizations started using websites to give more details then they could share in a newscast. This also expanded the access of information to people who did not watch television.
Once social media arrived and became widely popular, news stations were given the task of adjusting again. They were forced to become creative with multimedia reporting and had more competition with fellow networks and average people who made news content. This era of social media has presented many challenges for an industry that relies heavily on people turning on their televisions every night. With the ability to get news at any time of day, less and less people are watching cable news. Journalists are also faced with distrust and questions about their credibility.
The media world is ever-changing and news stations will continue to be plagued with the task of adjusting their content and reporting skills to what their viewers want. Some say the rise of mobile technology means the end of cable news, but no matter the form it takes, journalism is critical to informing people on what is happening in the world around them.