The news hit you like a slap in the face – what next?
We receive information about events in a matter of seconds – just think of the horrifying details of the Paris terror attacks. After the initial shock we want to know what is going on. What will happen next?
News and social media bring the latest information to our mobile devices in a couple of minutes but none of us could come up with explanations for the events in such a short space of time.
When news hits the collective consciousness, it is time for in-depth, quality media to step in. The world needs to be interpreted, explained and analysed; things must be put into perspective, rumours quashed and, more than anything, we need an understanding of the meaning of it all.
“The world needs to be interpreted”
If there were no quality media, who would explain the IS fighters’ motives to the public?
Who would explain the twists and turns of Greece’s debt crisis?
Who would act as the watchdog to make sure that Finnish listed companies follow good governance practices or would explore how the act on securities register is being prepared?
The wisdom of the crowd and collaborative efforts are important features in journalism, but if there are no professional content providers, the key ideas will remain unexplored.
You can recognise quality content by the fact that it is not available free of charge anywhere else. Customers need to feel that they actually gain some added value from media that they are willing to pay for.
Every self-respecting news outlet is on social media; everyone is there, the entire public. A hundred years ago people would hand out leaflets in street corners; now they all play with their mobile devices.
We the media content providers and the public can be seen as living in a symbiotic relationship. As long as the public trusts us, our actions have a purpose. As long as professional media can produce relevant content for the public to enjoy, we can understand the world better.
As journalists, we believe that we have a mission. As long as we receive our wages from the paying public, we are only accountable to our audiences and completely independent of any other interest groups.
By producing high-quality content that offers customers real added value, media companies fulfil their obligation as partners in a healthy and democratic society while employing thousands of Finnish professionals at the same time.
Arno Ahosniemi
Executive Editor-in-Chief, Kauppalehti