ABSTRACT
This book proceeds from the idea that journalists and editorial executives need to work smarter in the information age. Productivity and success will come more from intangibles such as knowledge management rather than from doing the same things over and over again, such as looking for more ways to cut costs. Knowledge management is one of the key tools of the information age. This chapter looks first at the big picture, presenting the drivers that are producing massive change all over the world. It then defines knowledge in relation to the tools journalists have previously used – data and information. And then it considers the possible scenarios that will lead to change in the newsroom. All of this is coming about because consumers expect news to be available in a variety of forms to suit their lifestyles. News organizations must consequently learn to accommodate their customers. In this book, each summary lists the sections of that chapter in the order they are covered so that busy people can go directly to the relevant section. Topics covered in this chapter include:
information a glut product
from information scarcity to surplus
declines in circulation
technology a powerful driver
social and economic causes of change
the role of media giants
changes in consumer attitudes
2managing knowledge in the newsroom
new skills for the knowledge age
new approaches for a new age.
