The new age of digital journalism has the opportunity to give readers an impactful experience, according to a New York Times editor.
Damien Cave, New York Times deputy editor for digital on the National Desk, spoke about the transition from print to digital with ASU journalism students on Tuesday. Cave’s roundtable discussion filled students in on how the Times is trying to reach a broader audience as digital news consumption surpasses traditional newspapers. According to Cave, it’s a dynamic shift.
“It’s like driving a car and being told we need to turn it into a helicopter without stopping,” Cave said.
He described the current market for journalism as “constantly subject to change.”
The New York Times’ ability to evolve comes at a pivotal time, although Cave says the new age of digital journalism must clearly be differentiated and redefined.
“There is a history of evolution and that is what will help (The New York Times) survive,” Cave said. “The old rules don’t always have to apply.”
Cave showed students his 39-day project “The Way North,” which recounts the journeys of Mexican immigrants to “Middle America” through photojournalism and a design for a digital platform.
Paige Shacklett, a junior at the Cronkite School, was in consensus with Cave’s creative approaches to covering news.
“To hear from somebody, actually in the field, that it’s still good to be creative in journalism … (that’s) something I haven’t heard in a while,” Shacklett said.
He asked the audience for feedback, suggestions and what they hope to see with election season around the corner.
Most Americans want truth, fair representation and to see transparency in the government — regardless of their political party identification, Cave said.
“The American people are craving authenticity in politics,” Cave said.
Alexis Berdine, a Cronkite freshman, also appreciated Cave’s confidence in the future of the industry.
“I love that he had faith in the change of journalistic formats … and faith that it thrives on journalists who want to go out and report about the world,” Berdine said.
Contact the reporter at brianna.bradley@asu.edu.
