Perspective - (2022) Volume 12, Issue 4
Received: 01-Apr-2022, Manuscript No. jmcj-22-65353;
Editor assigned: 04-Apr-2022, Pre QC No. P-65353;
Reviewed: 15-Apr-2022, QC No. Q-65353;
Revised: 22-Apr-2022, Manuscript No. R-65353;
Published:
29-Apr-2022
, DOI: 10.37421/2165-7912.22.12.457
Citation: Richard, Thomas. "Digital Journalism: An Overview." J Mass Communicat Journalism 12 (2022): 457.
Copyright: © 2022 Richard T. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Digital journalism, often known as online journalism, is a modern kind of journalism that distributes editorial material over the Internet rather than print or television. Scholars disagree about what constitutes digital journalism; however, the fundamental product of journalism, news and features on current events, is provided solely or in combination as text, audio, video, or interactive forms such as news games, and disseminated using digital media technology.
The growing use of digital journalism is due to decreased entry barriers, lower distribution costs, and a variety of computer networking technologies. It has democratised information flow that was formerly dominated by traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television. When compared to traditional journalism and traditional media, some have claimed that internet journalism allows for more creative expression. The digital part of the journalistic message may be crucial, but it is still under the creative control of the writer, editor, and/or publisher to some level. It has been admitted that claims of its expansion have been exaggerated. In fact, according to a 2019 Pew survey, time spent on online news sites has decreased by 16 percent since 2016 [1].
There is no universally accepted definition of what defines digital journalism. "Web and mobile platforms demand that we embrace a platformfree attitude for an all-inclusive production approach – generate [digital] contents first, then distribute via relevant channels," Mu Lin claims. Some people are satisfied with simply reusing print content for an online audience, while others want content generated specifically for the digital medium, such as hypertextuality. Fondevila Gascón completes the digital journalism essence with multimedia and interactivity. According to Deuze, the technology component that journalists must consider when developing or showing content distinguishes online journalism from other types of media. Digital journalism can range from strictly editorial content, such as CNN (created by professional journalists), to public-connection websites, such as Slashdot (communication lacking formal barriers of entry). The contrast between digital and conventional journalism may be found in the reporter's reimagined function in respect to audiences and news organisations. The evolution of digital journalism was influenced by societal expectations for instant information. However, the actual nature and roles of digital journalism are unlikely to be fully understood for some years. Some experts even believe that free online content distribution, online advertising, and the new method people consume news may jeopardise the old financial model of mass media distributors, which is dependent on single-copy sales, subscriptions, and the sale of advertising space [2].
Teletext, the first kind of digital journalism, was created in the United Kingdom in 1970. Teletext is a method that allows viewers to select which stories they want to read and immediately see them. Teletext information is concise and immediate, similar to the information found in today's digital journalism. In what was known as the Vertical Blanking Interval, or VBI, the information was transmitted between the frames of a television stream.
Digital journalism provides for connections and debate at a level that paper alone cannot provide. Articles can be commented on, and discussion boards can be created to discuss them. It was impossible to have a spontaneous debate between readers who had never met before the Internet. A large part of what distinguishes internet journalism is the act of debating a news item. People contribute to the tale and connect with others who are interested in talking about it. Niche audiences benefit from digital news because they have more choices in terms of what they can watch and read. Digital journalism allows for new types of storytelling; thanks to the technical components of the new medium, digital journalists may give audio, video, and digital photography, among other things. In terms of how this affects users and how it changes their consumption of news, research shows that, aside from a different layout and display of the news, there is no significant difference in recalling and processing the news.
Digital journalism signifies a sea change in how society consumes news. In a matter of seconds, online sources may deliver quick, efficient, and accurate reporting of breaking news, giving society with an overview of events as they happen. Throughout the course of the event, journalists are able to feed information to internet sources, bringing readers up to date in seconds. In a way that isn't frequently seen in print media, the speed with which a story can be disseminated can have an impact on the accuracy of the reporting. The printing process took significantly longer before the advent of digital journalism, allowing for the detection and repair of faults [3].
Implications on traditional journalism
Traditional journalism processes are currently undergoing major changes as a result of digitization. Journalists' work is growing increasingly reliant on digital journalism in general. Scholars argue that this is a shift in the implementation of journalism rather than the conceptualization phase of the job. They also argue that some skills are being de-skilled while others are being up-skilled. This thesis contradicts the idea that technological determinism is harming journalism, because it should be acknowledged that it is simply changing the old skill set. Nicole Cohen, a communication scholar, argues that many factors are placing pressure on this traditional skill set. Outsourcing, algorithms, and automation are just a few examples. Although Cohen believes that technology can be utilised to better journalism, she argues that current digital journalism trends are having a detrimental impact on the practise thus far.
There's also the way that citizen journalism is being influenced by digital journalism. Because digital journalism is done online and is primarily produced by citizens on user-generated content sites, there is rising competition between the two. Because citizen journalism allows anybody to submit anything, journalists are being pressured by their employers to produce more news items than they previously did, which frequently involves rushing news stories and failing to verify the source of information.
Bloggers publish their work on online logs or blogs. Bloggers are frequently not considered journalists by traditional journalists. This has less to do with the medium and more to do with standards and professional procedures. Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding journalism, for example, attracts amateur journalists as well as ambitious professionals who are constrained by traditional press limitations. The implication of this form of journalism, however, is that it ignores the professional conventions of journalistic processes that ensure the content's accuracy and impartiality. However, as of 2005, blogging has gotten at least greater attention and has had some impact on mainstream journalism, such as identifying flaws in a television programme concerning President George W. Bush's National Guard service. According to recent legal rulings, bloggers are entitled to the same safeguards as other journalists who are held to the same standards. The Electronic Frontier Foundation in the United States has been a strong advocate for journalist bloggers' rights [4].
Blogs
With the advent of digital media, the traditional journalist has given way to the blogger or amateur journalist. Because of its "narrative style of news marked by personalisation," blogs can be considered as a new genre of journalism that goes away from traditional journalism's approach, transforming journalism into a more conversational and decentralised type of news. Bloggers say that blogs are now breaking stories, as they have become an important part of the transmission of news and ideas throughout cities, states, and countries. Even online news outlets have blogs produced by their in-house journalists or other well-known writers. Blogging allows readers and journalists to express their opinions on current events and discuss them in a public forum. Due of the requirement to constantly check what is written, several news outlets do not allow comments on blogs. The reader can interact with a tale instead of just digesting the contents on the screen by allowing comments. According to one study from 2007, 15% of those who read blogs do so for news.
The lack of local news coverage, the dissemination of misinformation, and the manipulation of news have all contributed to the growth of blogging communities. Blogging platforms are frequently used to disseminate ideas and connect with others who share similar viewpoints. Anonymity thrives on these platforms that disseminate a variety of viewpoints. Some have speculated that the use of public opinions as facts in blogs has given them legitimacy and credibility. Memes are frequently disseminated on these blogs as a result of its social phenomenon and connection to existing subcultures with high levels of participation. Traditional journalism has paved the way for blogs, which are regularly used to challenge journalistic reporting on mainstream media [5].
The lack of local news coverage, the dissemination of misinformation, and the manipulation of news have all contributed to the growth of blogging communities. Blogging platforms are frequently used to disseminate ideas and connect with others who share similar viewpoints. Anonymity thrives on these platforms that disseminate a variety of viewpoints. Some have speculated that the use of public opinions as facts in blogs has given them legitimacy and credibility. Memes are frequently disseminated on these blogs as a result of its social phenomenon and connection to existing subcultures with high levels of participation. Traditional journalism has paved the way for blogs, which are regularly used to challenge journalistic reporting on mainstream media. Citizen journalists are able to disseminate information that would otherwise go unnoticed, and the public is better informed as a result. Some businesses rely on information provided by citizen journalists when they are unable to gain access to particular situations, such as in nations where press freedom is restricted. Anyone can videotape events and distribute it to whoever they choose or post it on their website. Despite having significantly fewer resources than their corporate counterparts, non-profit and grassroots digital journalism sites are able to have websites that are technically similar thanks to digital media. Other news organisations can then pick up their story and run with it as they see fit, allowing information to reach a larger audience.
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