One of the latest stories reported by the International Journalism Network proclaims the advent of a new audience-centric journalism. What is this revolutionary concept? It’s the idea that journalists should consider the interests and concerns of the audience in their reporting. Perhaps this would help reduce the loss of subscribers, the author suggests. Wow! You think?

Journalists are some of the most subjective writers around. “My opinions, my ideas, my interests, how I evaluate the news.” The rise in interpretive journalism has put journalists in the driver’s seat, giving them control over content and the possibility—or even responsibility—to add new meaning to news stories, regardless of the facts contributed by sources. The result has been the aggrandizement of the journalist and lack of respect for the audience.

However, even journalists have to eat. And the loss of revenue has focused the minds of some with a new sense of responsibility to the audience and respect for their pocketbooks.

For more than a century magazine editors have been aware of the need to care for the audience. They do audience research and they evaluate the impact of certain articles and authors. The readers of the best magazines often consider the magazine a “friend,” an entity that brings them the information they want and need. The readers sense that they are cared for.

It’s time for journalism to rediscover the audience. For more information on the “new” audience-centric journalism: https://ijnet.org/en/story/toward-audience-centric-future-journalism