Raising a toast to all of us journalists

Sina Weibo was born in 2009, iPhone4 was launched in 2010 and WeChat came into being in 2011. Once they were in place it seemed everyone could be a journalist.

That sent a chill down the spine of many a journalist, including this author who had freshly graduated and taken up the job of a journalist. If everybody is a journalist, then what about me, is there still a job for me, I asked myself.

A clearer answer has emerged now. This year has seen the rise and fall of many social media platforms and we-media accounts and there could be more such developments. With 1.08 billion people having access to the mobile internet in China alone, it's becoming increasingly common for people to access umpteen videos on social networking sites by just swiping their smartphones. In the remotest of villages one can see residents accessing videos on their smartphones. They all have their favorite livestreamers too. Every time something happens somewhere, hundreds, or even thousands, rush to the site, smartphone in hand, to report live from the spot.

It's good to see people expressing what they feel about something, but one cannot deny that sometimes one might watch hundreds of video clips from a place and still be in the dark as to what actually happened.

Professionals with rational and balanced views reporting on trustworthy channels can provide the desired clarity. That is why we still need trained journalists. Especially when it comes to public opinion, it's a challenging job to tell things logically, without any bias, and without triggering strong reactions.

I don't mean to antagonize any we-media and professional journalists. On the contrary, professional journalists can work for social media platforms, while we-media can be more professional in their approach. Maybe a time will come when the line between the two will blur.

As Wednesday marks the 24th Journalists' Day of China, let's wish every journalist well. Long live the profession.