As an arts student, the Oxford English Dictionary always proves an invaluable tool in bolstering an essay’s argument and revealing new layers of meaning to words. Of course, journalistic writing is very different to essay writing, but a quick definition search of ‘news’ provoked some interesting thoughts about what we expect when we pick up Varsity from the porters’ lodge. ‘News’ is defined as new things, novelty, something current and something recent.

Surely then, the only future of journalism is online. In a society constantly seeking to upgrade and modify itself, news in an online format will always be more ‘new’ than that in print. With indefinite opportunities to edit and upload new stories, it seems we have perfected the way we receive and read news. In an instant, readers can contact one another to share views. All this creates a culture that must forever be up to date. A culture that always wants to get to the point.

Twitter allows journalists to do precisely that, to get to the point, or should I say, their point. Journalists can tweet a tantalizing menu of hyperlinks to entice readers into the worlds of their writing. Naturally, this is competitive, so being short and snappy becomes an art. Every character counts. The Times Columnist of the Year Caitlin Moran’s Twitter summary defines her personal and professional identity in just 22 characters: “A woman, yes, but still funny.” Such simple confidence individualises her voice, attracting readers who may merely wish to test her claims.

Varsity’s voices are also beginning to resonate on Twitter, as the Comment section now links to writers’ Twitter accounts, helping aspiring journalists in Cambridge synthesise that all important online presence with their writing. As Twitter builds a network of sharing, the way that readers respond to articles also changes. Reading becomes much more interactive as we enter a world once confined to the offices of broadsheet newspapers, now tweeting comments and questions to writers in response to their articles.

Of course, interaction with the reader has implications for the ethics of journalism. Writers are always accountable for their work. Sometimes, journalists can use controversy carefully to engage readers in public online dialogues, allowing a multitude of opinions to resound even further. Yet the force of ‘click to share’ can become dangerous, spreading poor, misinformed or offensive opinion and perpetuating a negative online presence for writers involved.

But is a cantankerous voice resonating online worse than not being heard at all? Certainly, Oscar Wilde said that “the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” Perhaps, the endless renewal and updating of online pieces, mixed with carefully crafted tweets, gives those who have made a slip of the tongue a chance for redemption. Retaining a successful online presence in the heady world of technological progress, though, proves challenging. With Twitter’s bemusing and alien lexicon of ‘retweets’, ‘modified tweets’, ‘hashtags’ and ‘trending’, first-time users may find themselves lost in translation.

As technology advances, all that writers can do is try to keep up with the competition. This is where sites like Mashable become so valuable. It might not be the first site you think of, but in providing a ‘how to’ for social media, this is where anyone wanting to promote themselves online should start. A handbook for anyone challenged by the hashtag, Mashable provides a catalogue of helpful articles ranging from ‘5 better ways to network on Twitter and LinkedIn’ and ‘A Totally Serious Beginner’s Guide to Memes’.

It is the most self-conscious social media site, claiming to report on ‘the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world’. Mashable is where the future of online media lies. It is the journalist’s tool box, guiding those chasing media careers on the best methods of self promotion, leading them through the haze of hashtags and retweets to get their voices heard. Its name might suggest that it is a site that combines everything together in a mish-mash of jargon and hyperlinks. This is true in a way. But in breaking down the giant that is social media into its clear components, it provides a handy map to navigate the online maze.