Digital journalism

For the academic journal, see Digital Journalism (journal).
"Internet news" redirects here. For the Usenet forums, see Usenet newsgroup.
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A screenshot of State Magazine news section

Digital journalism, also known as netizen journalism or online journalism, is a contemporary form of journalism where editorial content is distributed via the Internet, as opposed to publishing via print or broadcast. What constitutes digital journalism is debated by scholars; however, the primary product of journalism, which is news and features on current affairs, is presented solely or in combination as text, audio, video, or some interactive forms like storytelling stories or newsgames, and disseminated through digital media technology.[1][2]

Fewer barriers to entry, lowered distribution costs, and diverse computer networking technologies have led to the widespread practice of digital journalism.[3] It has democratized the flow of information that was previously controlled by traditional media including newspapers, magazines, radio, and television.[4] In the context of digital journalism, online journalists are often expected to possess a wide range of skills, yet there is a significant gap between the perceived and actual performance of these skills, influenced by time pressures and resource allocation decisions.[5]

Some have asserted that a greater degree of creativity can be exercised with digital journalism when compared to traditional journalism and traditional media.[6] The digital aspect may be central to the journalistic message and remains, to some extent, within the creative control of the writer, editor, and/or publisher.[6] While technological innovation has been a primary focus in online journalism research, particularly in interactivity, multimedia, and hypertext, there is a growing need to explore other factors that influence its evolution. [7]

It has been acknowledged that reports of its growth have tended to be exaggerated.[8] In fact, a 2019 Pew survey showed a 16% decline in the time spent on online news sites since 2016.[8]

  1. ^ Franklin, Bob (2013). "Digital Journalism", 1:1, p. 1. DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2012.740264". Digital Journalism. 1: 1–5. doi:10.1080/21670811.2012.740264. S2CID 219540468.
  2. ^ Kawamoto 2003, p. 4.
  3. ^ Herbert, John (2000). Journalism in the Digital Age: Theory and Practice for Broadcast, Print and On-line Media. Taylor & Francis. p. 9. ISBN 9780240515892. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  4. ^ Boler, Megan (2010). Digital Media and Democracy: Tactics in Hard Times. MIT Press. p. 385. ISBN 9780262514897. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  5. ^ Himma-Kadakas, Marju; Palmiste, Greete (2019-04-03). "Expectations and the actual performance of skills in online journalism". Journal of Baltic Studies. 50 (2): 251–267. doi:10.1080/01629778.2018.1479718. ISSN 0162-9778.
  6. ^ a b Kawamoto, Kevin (2003). Digital Journalism: Emerging Media and the Changing Horizons of Journalism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 2. ISBN 9780742526815. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
  7. ^ Steensen, Steen (2011). "Online Journalism and the Promises of New Technology". Journalism Studies. 12 (3): 311–327. doi:10.1080/1461670x.2010.501151. hdl:10642/601. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  8. ^ a b "5 key takeaways about the state of the news media in 2018". 23 July 2019.