Rethinking what ‘good’ journalism means

Charlie Beckett of the London School of Economics asks how ‘good’ journalism can survive and thrive in an age of misinformation, competition and distraction.

People in the news business spend a lot of time thinking about how to differentiate themselves, particularly in terms of “quality”. But Charlie shows that “quality” has many meanings today, some of which shouldn’t be overlooked.

Included in the 8 definitions is Diversity/Serendipity/Joy:

We misunderstand why people consume news. It might be to be ‘informed’. But it is also about ritual, fun, spectacle, solving problems, and enjoyment. Stop treating those reasons as less ‘quality’. People don’t always know what they want. Surprise them.