Click-bait does not only refer to the headlines of a particular journalistic article. In the recent method of journalistic information delivery, click-bait has formed part of the entire story, written and designed in a manner that catches the reader's attention throughout their reading. Journalism has certainly evolved with time, especially with the development and establishment of social media platforms and the rise of more media houses and businesses within a locality. While many of the media houses have been reluctant to change their storytelling techniques and adapt to the fast-moving world, it is clear that most of the initial techniques can no longer work in such a diverse globe, leading to the need to adapt to new storytelling techniques. These changes have led to controversies on how news should be delivered to the public.
The media has learned to convey news in a very interesting manner aimed to keep the reader in suspense and attentive for more information. Starting with the headlines, click-bait has been the main method by which information is conveyed as part of maintaining the competitive edge against the multiple newspaper and news media ( Cilizza, 2015 ). Also, it ensures that the audience gets the information they want in full. With the rise of digital journalism, media houses have learned to be very versatile in their storytelling to appeal to the demand of the public ( Cilizza, 2015 ). In many cases, news usually reaches the public even before the media houses have officially released it. It would be a major lack of competence if the same media houses would fail to shed light on such information, especially regarding top politicians and influencers around the globe.
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To catch the reader's attention, the media must find a way to diversify their content to ensure that it is wholesome, appealing, and enticing to the diverse population in the United States of America ( Cilizza, 2015 ). As part of this population, I admit that chasing eyeballs in information delivery today leads to the sameness of content which ends up being boring and seemingly vague information from all media reporters. I enjoy a diverse newspaper that gives information on the latest events, twisting words to provoke my thinking into a matter and not simply directly delivering chunks of information. The media must meet the demands of the public in a very well calculated manner. Just as a line graph changes over intervals with changes in the basic conditions, the changes in times and seasons lead to a corresponding change in how information should be released ( Cilizza, 2015 ).
According to Kelvin Merida, though some news could be compared to eating Doritos in that they are sweet and produce the steam and enthusiasm the public looks for, they are not entirely good for the public by themselves ( Cilizza, 2015 ). Merida states that different people are enticed by different kinds of news and therefore, a newspaper must carry diverse kinds of information delivered in a very satisfying manner ( Cilizza, 2015 ). He states that people are not dimensional and it would be more detrimental to just feed the public with a one-dimension type of news ( Cilizza, 2015 ). He compares this scenario as having people feed on Doritos entirely every day of their lives ( Cilizza, 2015 ). For as much as it is sweet, it would be unhealthy for them.
Kelvin Merida compares his life with how news should be on the globe. He states that though he is a journalist, he has a great interest in other fields and dimensions of this life ( Cilizza, 2015 ). He states that his wife is a field hockey coach which makes him be up to date with all the activities happening in that field ( Cilizza, 2015 ). He states his interest in professional wrestling and to show that he is up to date with the activities taking place in professional wrestling, Merida goes ahead to mourn and celebrate the life of the late professional wrestler; Rowdy Roddy who had just passed ( Cilizza, 2015 ). Further, Merida makes known his love for diverse music genres and his interest to read about parenting. Diversity and style in storytelling is quite a key method of conveying news in digital journalism today.
Through the social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, the journalist community can easily know the kind of information the people are seeking to hear and be more informed about ( Cilizza, 2015 ). The information gathered from these platforms should help them in developing their stories and story-telling techniques and not snob such information simply to satisfy modesty ( Cilizza, 2015 ). The journalism community should take such social media tools as a gift that makes it easy to monitor what the people want to hear about and at the same time delivering the relevant truth.
I agree that the journalist world has evolved and become different with the ages and with the rise in digital journalism. However, as Merida puts it, it has become better, versatile, and actively meeting the needs of the public. Therefore, I support that journalists should continue to use clickbait more to deliver important information and help the readers understand the important issues happening around them in politics and the contemporary world.
Reference
Chris Cilizza. (2015, August 17). In defense of ‘clickbait’ — and why journalists should stop being so snobby. The New York Times , p. Washington DC 20036.
