One of the biggest issues in modern journalism is young people are ignoring traditional practices, according to media experts.
Hannah Thaxter, editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post, attended Journalism and Media Week at Leeds Trinity University to run a workshop that looked at the more traditional practices of journalism and where they fit in the modern world.
YEP editor Hannah Thaxter speaking to students at Journalism and Media Week
The session included a presentation about what makes a journalist, what are the important skill to have and the ability to “get out there.”
Hannah said: “We need to use more traditional methods. While technology is a great advantage and sometimes the better option of communicating when it comes to making contacts…while you’re waiting for a reply someone would’ve called up and got the story.
“You need to be confident, it’s an important skill, one-to-one is definitely the best form of communication.”
Two members of Leeds Trinity’s alumni, Greg Wright, who graduated in 1990, and David Spereall, who graduated in 2013, agreed that traditional practices were also the better option in modern day journalism.
Greg, the Yorkshire Post’s deputy business editor, said: “I’ve seen many things changed over the course of my career as a journalist and one of those bigger changes to journalism is the internet.
“Social media can be an amazing thing in information spreading and getting people’s accounts of events in fast, although we’ve now lost the chance to witness things happening in front of us.”
David Spereall, despite being part of the younger generation of journalists, agreed social media may not be the most reliable tool.
David, a local democracy reporter for Wakefield, said: “While social media can be a great source of news it is not a substitute.”