One of the truths about our new media environment is the central role that influencers are taking in the content people consume and trust. Particularly when it comes to young people and their media diet … so it’s no surprise that politicians are courting these influencers and hoping they can help inspire the younger generation to come out and vote. At the Democratic National Convention this past week, influencers took such a central role that they were credentialed and treated like VIPs.
Unfortunately, the traditional media didn’t seem to get the same sort of treatment. While influencers enjoyed free wine, dedicated space and exclusive access, members of the media reported that they struggled to find working power outlets. Offering influencers and “real people” a chance to cover the convention is a great and overdue shift. The problem is that it seemed to happen at the expense of actual journalists as they “battled for space” at the convention.
Influencers aren’t the same as journalists.
An influencer has no obligation to follow any code of ethics. They offer opinion and (often) entertainment. Can their coverage be authoritative and important? Absolutely. But this is not a substitute for actual journalism. The choice convention organizers seem to have made to prioritize influencers above reporters is a dangerous one. It suggests that opinion matters more than thoughtful journalism.
At a time when we need to elevate trained journalists instead of diminishing them, the DNC got it wrong. Influencers have an important perspective to share and deserve a seat at the table. Journalists have earned that same seat too.
