Very Online
Article

Very Online

Five journalists on covering the internet in search of meaning, not viral trends

Karen Maniraho
Columbia Journalism Review, 2022
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The internet beat is culturally relevant, but the media has difficulty describing it accurately, reports Karen Maniraho, a fellow at the Columbia Journalism Review. She discusses how five journalists each approach writing about the internet. From outlets as varied as traditional news channels to internet-focused newsletters, these reporters delve into how they cover the web and why. One focuses on “Black Twitter” to provide a new perspective on a mainstream subject, while others take a more anthropological viewpoint. All five agree on the complexity and significance of reporting on the internet, its subcultures, and its impact on society, business and politics.

Summary

Each journalist must define the internet beat for him or herself.

Those who report on the internet understand that they seldom have clearcut assignments, so they do their job based on their own experiences. Five reporters who cover the internet for traditional and non-traditional outlets describe their work in different ways. 

Ryan Broderick, of Garbage Day, a newsletter about the internet, takes an “anthropological” approach akin to following trends to cover the web. The Washington Posts’s Taylor Lorenz tries to convey how people interact online and how the internet influences culture and politics. Jason Parham of Wired covers pop culture from a Black viewpoint. Rebecca Jennings of VOX highlights how online interactions affect the way people act. Rusty Foster, creator of Today in Tabs, focuses on “fresh...

About the Author

Karen Maniraho is a fellow at the Columbia Journalism Review. 

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