|
||
Many major media outlets have recognized that the next step to providing news to readers in a rush is by making it more readily available on the Internet. However, for journalists, filing to the Internet has added more pressure to being the first with the news because they don't have to wait for the next day to bring stories to the public, which was the case in the ‘old days'.
Journalists no longer file stories and photos at the end of the day like they used to. In order to keep up with the demand of their readers and watchers, they have to now file stories, photos and recently, video to the Internet multiple times throughout the day in order to satiate the hunger for visuals. This is why it is imperative to have a high speed Internet connection – and one that can handle the bandwidth necessary for all that uploading.
A high speed broadband Internet connection, such as an asymmetrical digital subscriber line (otherwise known as ADSL), which allows download speeds of up to about 1.5 megabits per second and upload speeds of 128 kilobits per seconds can come in handy when uploading large photos or videos, especially at frequent intervals and from many machines in the office.
There is also a Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) which is similar to ADSL, but allows data transfer speeds of 384 Kilobits per second in both directions. The great thing about SDSL is that download and upload speeds are equal and for newsrooms, the upload is what matters most. With most other Internet connections, the downloads always far exceed the uploads in terms of speed.
For journalists working out in the field, a high speed Internet connection is the only way to file stories. A Wi-Fi enabled laptop or PDA can connect to the Internet as long as it is within range of a wireless network which is connected to the Internet. The coverage of one or more internconnected access points, more commonly known as hot spots, can make the Internet accessible almost anywhere. This way, correspondence between what's happening on the field and what needs to get to the newsroom can happen much faster than physically driving the material back. It also beats making the phone call to voice over the story, which can interrupt clarity when there's a lot of commotion going on at the news scene.
There are also the recent options of mobile wireless Internet services which are increasing in popularity, especially with the introduction of smart phones, such as the Iphone or the Blackberry. Wherever the cell phone works, the Internet can be accessible.
With all the technology available to journalists today the competition has become more and more fierce as media outlets compete to be the first to post to the Web. High speed Internet makes a journalist's job easier, and the public greatly benefits by getting their news – fast.