Internet eroding quality of journalism, says man in white suit Veteran journalist-turned-MP-turned-activist Martin Bell believes that the web has eroded journalism's edge, meaning more time spent at desks and less time out in the field.

Speaking at Loewy Group’s monthly speaker club, Mandrake, last night, Bell called the internet “a wonderful servant but a lousy master” for journalists. Bell’s upcoming book sounds like an interesting read, spilling the beans on his observations of 'possible' corruption within Westminster.

In all, the former war correspondent’s still got his edge…and his white suit.

Bell's main point about the internet in journalism is that it has made reporters less aware of what they're actually reporting on, because so much of the job is now done in front of a screen rather than out in the real world.

Equally, the ability to deliver news in an instant has created a frantic scrabble for differentiation, and many journalists seek that differentiation through online research rather than going out there and talking to people. Mind you, it does mean a good deal less shrapnel becoming lodged in hacks' backsides.

So has the internet made journalism a boring place to be?

Labels: after work, media

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