In front of an audience of 40 people on Wednesday afternoon, new media came face to face with old media. Arianna Huffington, founder of the online only Huffington Post, and Pulitzer prize winning Linda Greenhouse, a former New York Times journalist, met to discuss the differences between print and online journalism.

Greenhouse described a typical day at the beginning of her 30-year career at the NYT, where she used a typewriter and gave copy to her editors on carbon paper - a system which she now describes as a "dinosaur of a news operation". Speaking of her departure from the NYT, Greenhouse also revealed that being asked to do additional online-only reporting was one of the factors. She disliked the immediacy which has become integral to journalism, largely as a result of its online transition.
In terms of modern day reporting, Huffington spoke about the rise of citizen journalism and the modern day technology which allows anyone with a camera or an iphone to be a reporter. "That is invaluable. That is real-time reporting," she enthused. However Huffington did point out the pitfalls of such journalism, and voiced concerns that competition amongst publications to report events first could lead to a situation where "energy and competitive juices trump accuracy".

Whilst Greenhouse describes the old newsroom process as something "out of the dark ages", she criticises the reluctance of contemporary journalism to report on controversial issues, and its tendency not to question outrageous acts. "I think the times we're in require us to go beyond that, to do the job we're supposed to do, which is to serve the reader," she explains.

Despite their vastly different journalistic backgrounds, the two women had similar views on where journalism should be headed. Both understand the huge potential offered by the Internet, but agree that what is needed is a combination of the two. The instantaneous breaking news reporting that the Internet is perfectly adapted for, combined with the accuracy and analysis of more traditional journalism.

Source: Yale Daily News