Brave new world of news? Eek!

Those who believe they can predict the face of journalism — in terms of a socially and economically sustainable news business — five years from now, let alone decades from now, ought to put their money where their mouths are: Buy stock in a media company you believe has the smarts to navigate the increasingly turbulent waters of journalism’s economic seas.

Lately, the blogging masses have predicted a) the impending death of MSM (god, I hate acronyms) or mainstream media, b) the future inability of the news business to make money in the same manner that it does now and c) anyone can be a journalist.

But they’re just guessing.

Today’s guesser, courtesy of The Washington Post, is columnist Steve Pearlstein — “News Media Grope for the Right Formula.”

It’s an interesting take on several potential futures for the news biz and worth a read.

But as these guesses unfold — including the war of words regarding the individuality of blogging vs. the mass dissemination of MSM — I’ll be asking some fairly simple guestions.

• Who or what will decide what is available to me to read? Or view? Or browse?
• How will I know whom to trust?
• Will someone tell me, without bidding, what he or she believes I need to know to function as an intelligent consumer and citizen — or will I merely be told what I say I want to know?
• How much will it cost, and who’s gonna pay for it?

As technology — and the corporate ability to blend technology increases — the fundamental questions don’t change very much.

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