How have social media transformed the production, dissemination, and consumption of news?

Imagine a time without social media. How would you get your news? You'd either buy a newspaper in the morning or wait in front of the TV for a scheduled news program. The production, dissemination, and consumption of news all followed a very fixed pattern. But then social media arrived and 'disrupted' everything.

We can look at this change from three perspectives:

I. How is news 'made'? (Changes in Production Methods)

1. Everyone is a 'reporter': Previously, only professional journalists could publish news. Now, anyone with a smartphone can capture a video or photo at the scene of an event, add a few words, and post it on social media, potentially becoming a first-hand news source. This has made news sources ubiquitous and the speed of news generation astonishingly fast.
2. 'Speed' trumps 'accuracy': Traditional media emphasized 'triple review and triple proofreading,' verifying information repeatedly before publishing. However, in the age of social media, speed is paramount. To be the first to break a story, many media outlets and even individuals will publish unverified information, then gradually correct it. This often leads to the frequent news reversals we see today.
3. Journalists find topics more easily: Journalists no longer need to rely solely on informants or attend press conferences. By scrolling through Weibo, Twitter, and Facebook daily and checking trending topics, they can discover many valuable news leads.

II. How does news 'fly' to you? (Changes in Dissemination Methods)

1. From 'broadcasting' to 'contagion': Previously, news dissemination was like a loudspeaker broadcast – media published, and you received, a one-to-many model. Now, news spreads more like a 'virus.' You see a news item on social media, find it interesting, forward it to your friends, who then forward it to their friends... A single piece of news can spread exponentially in an instant, forming what is known as 'viral spread.'
2. 'Algorithms' become the new gatekeepers: In the past, newspaper editors and TV station editors decided what news you would see today. Now, this power has largely been handed over to social platform 'algorithms.' Algorithms guess what you like based on your clicks, likes, and comment history, then relentlessly recommend similar information to you. This creates a phenomenon called the 'information cocoon' – you are surrounded only by voices you like and agree with, making it difficult to hear different perspectives.
3. The dissemination chain becomes uncontrollable: Once a piece of news is published on social media, it goes through countless shares and re-edits. In this process, headlines might be completely altered (this is where clickbait comes from), and content might be taken out of context. By the time it reaches you, it might be far removed from its original meaning.

III. How do we 'consume' news? (Changes in Consumption Methods)

1. From 'actively seeking' to 'passively fed': Previously, we actively sought news by buying newspapers or watching TV. Now, as soon as we open our phones, various news updates are automatically 'fed' to us through social apps, browser push notifications, and other means. Our news consumption scenarios have become highly fragmented, perhaps during a few minutes while waiting for a bus or in the restroom.
2. 'Reading news' has become 'browsing news': Because information is 'fed' to us continuously, we rarely spend half an hour deeply reading a report as we used to. We are more accustomed to quickly scrolling through screens, spending a few seconds to read a headline or watch a short video, then swiftly moving to the next item. Our reading has become 'shallower' and less patient.
3. We are no longer just 'readers': Below every news item, we can like, comment, and share. We can interact directly with the publisher, or even the people involved in the news, and engage in lively debates with other readers. We have transformed from passive recipients into active participants, commentators, and secondary disseminators.

In summary, social media is like a vast public square. It has broken down the professional barriers of traditional media, made the speed of information production and flow incredibly fast, and given everyone a chance to speak out and participate. However, at the same time, it has also brought new problems such as information overload, difficulty distinguishing truth from falsehood, and opinion polarization. We enjoy unprecedented convenience, but also face unprecedented challenges.