When the word Mass Amateurization is dissected it can be described as a movement that allows people like you and I to create and distribute media at our own convenience.
Society has almost been robbed of the structure that comes with professionalism, as Shirky said "Professionals become gatekeepers, simultaneously providing and controlling access to information, entertainment, communication or other ephemeral goods" (SHIRKY, 57)
So what does Mass Amateurization mean for professionals?
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| Is professionalism obsolete? |
For journalists especially, there has been the question of "Is there really need for Journalism as a profession?" With the crop of what is now known as "The citizen journalist" anyone can pretty much give people information at an extremely fast rate with the help of social media, and devices like the Iphone that can help diffuse information faster.
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| For some "Blogging" is a lucrative career. |
It is great that society is embracing mass amateurization (Like we have a choice) Web 2.0 as given us an outlet to participate actively in this circus that is media. We are not only consumers of the media, we are content creators. Blogging is not just a virtual diary for some, but actually a lucrative career if done right. In this piece by The New York Post The Rise of The Power Blogger. Kate Foley chronicles the influence of bloggers in the fashion world. Have they displaced editors? Who are these power bloggers and are they the future?
What I believe is that we can all coexist in the best way possible. Professional Journalists and Citizen Journalists alike, we should be able to create a symbiotic relationship where we learn from each other and help each other out. The media professional will always be relevant in the society, Journalism is still a profession and regardless of technological advancements, it is one that requires a certain level of education and experience to do a good job.
The professional society should also embrace Web 2.0, we need them as much as they need us. If the internet is the best way to reach out to readers let us incorporate that more into the daily workings of how we work. In this article by Social Media Today titled Blogging is more important today that ever before, the author discusses how important blogging is and how all companies should incorporate a social media aspect to their routine.
RESOURCES
The Rise of The Power Blogger. By Kate Foley. New York Post
Blogging is more important today that ever before. By Nicole Beachum. Social Media Today
Here Comes Everybody: Everyone is a Media Outlet. By Clay Shirky
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