Informing the News: The Need for Knowledge-Based Journalism

The ongoing crisis in the business of journalism generates a range of responses and proposed solutions and is currently the major theme for books published in this field. Patterson (Joan Shorenstein Ctr. on the Press, Politics & Public Policy, John F. Kennedy Sch. of Government, Harvard Univ.) offers a slightly different take on the failures of journalism. Targeting the quality and content of the press rather than its business model, he argues that the current information overload makes more crucial the role of reporting the news and advocates for the development of a knowledge-based journalism. Reporters currently rely on too few sources, often know less than newsmakers about issues, and do not have enough knowledge to inform their reporting, says Patterson. He considers the traditional reportorial tools of observation and interviewing inadequate and recommends training journalists to improve their reporting with deeper understanding. In terms of the business model, Patterson suggests that news media create specialized niche news aimed at specific audiences rather than continue the old model of seeking a mass audience.