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Is ag journalism as we know it a dying art or a critical, necessary component of a healthy ag industry? One thing is certain: media is changing, and fast. From ChatGPT and AI ‘writers’, to fake news, to the increasingly hard-to-block-out noise of social media, journalism — and journalism’s role — is a whole lot different than it was even a decade ago. So, what’s ahead?
On November 7th, BCFWA hosted a virtual professional development session that dug into the changing realities of ag journalism and what might be on ag media’s horizon. It was clearly a topic that resonated: nearly 30 CFWF members from coast to coast joined the call.
Moderated (expertly moderated, may we add) by Ronda Payne, BCFWA
President, the session included three panelists: Sharon J. Riley, Prairies Bureau Chief with The Narwhal; andrea bennett, award-winner writer and senior editor with The Tyee; and BCFWA’s very own Tars Cheema, the Cow Guy with a Keyboard and owner and publisher of Western Canadian Dairy News.
The panelists all agreed that the journalism market is, as Ronda termed it, “changing, and not always for the better.” Many publications are closing up shop, advertising revenue is dramatically down as dollars flow instead towards the big tech companies (Facebook, Google, etc), journalists are having a harder time than ever earning a living wage.
However, said andrea, “The more optimistic or urgent part of things is that it’s more important now than ever to be doing this kind of work.”
A priority message from all three panelists was the critical need for good journalism, and a reinforcement that opportunity remains for those who attack a journalism or freelance ag writing career with creativity, curiosity and integrity.
In a short newsletter article, we can’t dig into the meaty takeaways from a long and intensive professional development session. If you weren’t able to attend, make sure to chat about the session with someone who did attend: you’ll be glad you did. Huge thanks once again to our three panelists for joining us to lend their insight on such an important topic!
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