Why Is Online Journalism Different, and Why Should You Care?

From Craig's first chapter, titled the same as this post:

"The changes that have taken place in journalism in the past 100 years are no less staggering than those that have affected most other aspects of human life. Journalists cover news today using techniques and resources unthinkable in the early 1900s, and online journalists do a job that was unknown just 15 years ago. Yet the function of the journalist has largely remained unchanged."

Without referring to the text, please post as a comment your own answer to the question posed in the title: Why is online journalism different, and why should you care? (Don't say you care because you have to take a class). Keep your response to 250-300 words.

Post.com's Super Tuesday plans

This is from today's Variety...

True, something like this is "unprecedented" as the article says, but is it warranted? Is it overkill, or is it good use of new media? Would you be inclined to watch and interact with this on Tuesday night?

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Super Tuesday big online
Pubs expanding focus on the Web
By WILLIAM TRIPLETT

Newsweek and the Washington Post are betting that Super Tuesday warrants extra Web attention.

On the night when some 50% of presidential primaries and caucuses occur, Newsweek and the Post will be putting their big editorial guns in front of webcams for six continuous hours of live coverage, which the BBC will simulcast to its stations around the world.

Among the talking heads will be Post stalwarts Bob Woodward, Ben Bradlee, Sally Quinn and Howard Kurtz as well as current editor Leonard Downie. Newsweek's top editor, Jon Meacham, will anchor from Washingtonpost.com's headquarters in Arlington, Va., as colleagues Michael Isikoff, Howard Fineman, Jonathan Alter and others report and comment throughout the evening. Writers and editors of the online mag Slate will also participate.

Exec producers are Tammy Haddad, formerly chief of MSNBC's political coverage, and Chet Rhodes, Washingtonpost.com's assistant managing editor of news video.

Viewers will be able to interact with video hosts in live online discussions as developments occur, and Washingtonpost.com will send out immediate mobile phone updates of results.

"As leaders in political news and online technology, we are going to try something new this election season," said washingtonpost.com exec editor Jim Brady in a statement. "This is an innovative news experience that could help shape the future of online news."

Newsweek and the Post are billing the coverage as "unprecedented."

The Washington Post Co. owns Newsweek and Slate as well as the Post newspaper and washingtonpost.com.