Reports of news writing’s death largely exaggerated

Magazines and newspapers dedicated to specific topics advocate addressing an issue important to the staff and audience they cater to. Although sometimes it may seem like biased reporting is afoot, using print media writing or news writing is still an effective way to construct a report — regardless of technological advances in broadcast. 

Even though newspapers are dying and magazine ad revenue is falling, as well, online publications detailing the story with facts not surfaced by brief recorded segments inform audiences much more effectively. 

This is evident in last Tuesday’s launch of the new online magazine Greening of Oil, a publication dedicated to educating the public and oil companies about cleaning up oil and making it an earth-friendly fuel. 

According to the Web site, “For people in the oil and gas business, Greening of Oil magazine is the only publication that provides comprehensive coverage of ongoing developments aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of fossil fuels.”
It may seem like this is a product of the public relations departments of oil companies that are starving for a meal of investors, but it is undeniable there is more content to be discovered in this product than five minutes of a YouTube segment with high-end media outlets or unattributed sources. 

What people are failing to realize is dedicated and scrupulous writing is still the most reliable source of facts. Unfortunately, the competitive nature of tabloid and lazy journalism overshadows the future of these publications. Papers that now only have online publications have staggered to keep revenue flowing.  

It wasn’t long ago that after the Rocky Mountain closed, some of the writers collaborated to launch a Web site independent of the last large newspaper industry in the state, but readership did not increase. 

Society, especially at the college level — the peak of the learning environment — must invest, if not money, time into the finer and more articulate weavings of written publications. This is not only for the continuation of literacy but for the importance of understanding the world we live in and to help proliferate intellectual ideas.