WikiLeaks’ release of classified documents about the Afghanistan war in 2010 has potentially altered the media landscape. The unprecedented data dump, made available to three newspapers before being published on the internet, has sparked a debate about the role of traditional media in the digital age.
The incident has highlighted the increasing power of non-traditional, online sources in disseminating information, often bypassing traditional media outlets. It has also underscored the ability of such sources to collaborate with traditional media, as WikiLeaks did with The Guardian, The New York Times, and Der Spiegel.
The emergence of WikiLeaks as a major player in information dissemination has raised questions about the future role of journalists. The ability of such platforms to release raw data en masse challenges the traditional journalistic role of gatekeeper, sifting through information to present a coherent narrative to the public.
Yet, some argue that the sheer volume of data released by WikiLeaks underscores the continuing need for journalists to interpret and contextualise such information. Despite the changes brought about by WikiLeaks and similar platforms, the role of journalism in providing context and analysis to raw data remains vital.
The WikiLeaks incident has thus highlighted the evolving relationship between traditional media and new information platforms in the digital age. It has underscored the increasing power of non-traditional sources, while also emphasising the continuing importance of journalistic interpretation and context.
Go to source article: http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2010/07/wikileaks-may-have-just-changed-the-media-too/60377/