Tech innovation can settle the tradi-new media tussle

virtual-newsroom
BUSINESS/lead strategist, Web- Fair Solutions and co-director, Founders Institute, Mr. Joseph Iruafemi, has said that the consistent prediction that traditional media was heading to extinction due to the activities of the new media would only happen if the traditional media failed to innovate. According to him, change is about the only factor that is permanent and should the traditional media applies change in the right direction, it would still remain in existence forever.

Iruafemi who was a guest lecturer at a Capability Enhancement Workshop for Journalists in Lagos, organised by PriceWaterhouse Coopers, PwC, in conjunction with AlphaXristi media Solutions Company urged traditional media practitioners to embrace modern technologies to enhance their performances.
According to him, there are different software, which make virtual newsrooms possible. What this means is that news-gathering and editing could be done real-time through collaborative-editing tools, cloud-sources, between the reporter and the editor.
He argued that with iReports, news platforms in the country the people have been empowered to be part of the news gathering, although authentication of the news credibility still remained a greater challenge.For him, with over 90 million Nigerians having access to the internet, searching for credible news, the professional journalist has a greater advantage to arrest audience combining his training with innovative technologies. He also stands a better chance of repositioning the nation in the new world of information.
Challenging the traditional media, Iruafemi posed some rhetorical questions: “Is it possible for us to have a website that converts words to audio, because most young people prefer to listen to audio to reading words. We are in an era of software for micro-contents; where media houses partner the telecoms on additional news contents dissemination. This will help in expanding the horizons of the media and the readership will broaden,”.
He tasked the media managers not to allow the social media wrestle the pen from their hands, adding that authentication of reports and analytical reports would always endear the conventional media to the readers’ heart. Organisers of the event, the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) network, said the event was in its recognition of the place of the media, generally and journalism in particular, in bringing about good governance, sustenance of democracy, and ensuring a conducive climate for investment and economic development,
Country senior partner, Nigeria and Regional Senior partner for PwC West Market Area, Mr Uyi Akpata, said the initiative was in recognition of the indispensable role of the media especially in the areas of finance and business technology reporting. The workshop, in its second year, was developed to help journalists improve the contribution they make in terms of their reporting and to ensure an in-depth analysis of any subject matter.