Reading Response #2

       At the first glance of the Common Wealth article, “Plugged in, Tuned out,” I assumed it would be another bitter, used-to-be print journalist raging about young Americans and their lack of an “appetite for the news.” I, however, was surprised at what the article included. The writer, Dan Kennedy, starts off describing a typical morning in Boston as if the reader was likely to be surrounded by a younger crowd. He states that while a few might be carrying a newspaper; most “will be staying as far away from the news that they can.” This is probably true. The question is, why is it true? Why do so many younger Americans ignore the news and current affairs? According to Kennedy’s article, the news isn’t presented in a format that we can understand or relate to. I was glad to see, though, that he clarified he didn’t mean they needed to dumb stories down. It’s interesting that even TV news is trying to find a way to modify their system in hopes of reaching the younger generations. Many news videos can be found online and can be accessed through cell phones and other such devices. Unfortunately, however, many students can’t afford the devices through which this is capable. In the article written by Thomas T. Huang, the diversity found in different journalistic views was discussed as an interesting perspective. “The digital world,” according to Huang, “can help the reader gain an understanding of people in other communities.” Through media a plethora of different bridges can be built and maintained. This is something the “traditional” media is starting to understand and take advantage of. With new media there are so many more tools that can possibly be used to tell a story on top of the “richness of words” the photography, audio and video makes the process interactive and much more relatable to the targeted, younger audience.