News Media and Strategic Communications Industry, Industry Study, Spring 2008

摘要

The news media industry and the U.S. national security strategy have been inextricably linked since the founding of the country, when newspaper articles became the medium for widespread public discussion. In the globalized 21st century, the news media industry plays an increasingly important role in questioning, evaluating, informing, influencing and disseminating the stories and events important to American life, the American democracy and America's national security. Faced with competitive pressures, changing consumer preferences, market fragmentation and dwindling profits, the preeminence of America's traditional news media industry is in jeopardy. Emerging business strategies facing the news media industry demand that leaders improve the quality of news coverage to maintain the trust with its customer base. The focus on the quality of the news may determine whether it can remain viable in a competitive market. Regardless of the media platform, the production of objective, credible, and timely news content is a necessary prerequisite to financial viability. News providers must establish their core competencies and expend the resources necessary to provide a quality product. Also key to the news media industry's survival is the acceptance of new, non-traditional players in the field of journalism. Rather than decry the growing band of bloggers and citizen journalists, the industry must continue to find new means to leverage those who uphold journalistic values of objectivity and credibility as news providers. Lastly, our democracy and the freedoms it automatically confers upon its' citizens demands that information produced by the United States government is credible news and not propaganda. By encouraging and facilitating the free flow of information and ideas between the public, the news media industry and the government, we ensure that our national dialogue is as unfettered and vibrant as the Founding Fathers hoped it would be.