Great Lakes Echo covers environmental news in the region
The newsroom of the online environmental publication Great Lakes Echo is aptly named the Echo Chamber. But Dave Poulson of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State was surprised to find the Echo Chamber is far quieter than the traditional newsrooms he remembers. Many students cannot hear themselves because of their ever-present iPod ear buds. Others are texting on cellphones or using computers to search for information or to send or answer emails.
Can journalists make still make waves if there are no ripples in their pond?
In his post on Echo, Poulson argues that the traditional newsroom chaos is still there, but that it now occurs online.
“A physical newsroom may be an increasingly anachronistic nexus of newsgathering,” writes Poulson. “But the chaos at the center of this profession remains. It’s greater than ever. You just can’t hear it.”
I work in the Echo Chamber, and we’re generally a pretty talkative and sometimes profane bunch. Dave does often catch us when we’re all zoned in on our work.
I can’t say that any of us spend much time texting, though. I’m not sure where you picked that up.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad to know you are often as noisy as the rest of us.