Coventry Conversations has returned this academic year with guest speakers Darren Parkin and Jeremy Pollock, prime examples of what can be achieved in a successful media career. Taking place on September 27th 2011, they spoke about how the world of media and journalism is undergoing a significant change, and how they are the people facing the consequences and pressure of this adjustment.
Mr Parkin, editor of the Coventry Telegraph, described the media as entering the “dawn of a new age” as the internet continues to grow as the world’s primary source of information. Media outlets such as the networking site Twitter are taking over as a tool of communication between the media and the public and for journalists this is a revolutionary practice. Events such as the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ were first reported not through television or radio but through twitter, sparking a greater interest and connection between the internet and the media. Darren expressed his interest in this way of reporting, but also felt as if the media was at a crossroads as he explained his dilemma of if he should “sacrifice print for internet hits”. The Coventry Telegraph has faced a reduction in newspaper sales of 7%, the online version of the paper has experienced greater traffic causing the paper to look at the way they report their news.
