News Without the Ink: Typifying New Online Journalism Models

By Jennifer Brannock Cox

The Problem

• Journalism once easy to identify

• Online news sites prompt changing definitions

• Need to figure out what is journalism, who is a journalist

The Purpose

• Define “journalism” & “journalists” from existing literature

• Examine innovations in collaboration and content focus

• Propose a typology categorizing individual news websites

• A normative stance regarding innovation versus tradition

Who is a Journalist?

• Journalism produced by journalists

• Journalists as professionals– Adhering to codes of ethics– Journalism norms– Training and skills

• Those who provide “news”– Information that is in the “public interest”– Information that helps citizens be “free and self-

governing”

Innovation Versus Tradition

• New technologies have always shaped journalism practices

• Innovation – the process of adoption and diffusion

• Newspapers slow to innovate – shovelware

Innovation Versus Tradition

• Online start-ups have embraced what traditional newspapers have not– Interactivity with the audience– Audience participation in newsmaking– Breaking down the gatekeeping function– Specialized content

Contributors

• Audience members contribute stories, photos, videos

• Reporters open the process, asking readers to help guide the story

• A conversation emerges, guiding the news

Barriers to Contribution Innovation

• Reporters’ professional norms– Objectivity– Independence/Autonomy

• Professional status

• Newsroom socialization

Niche Content

• Identifying and targeting specific audiences

• “Market-driven journalism”

• Speaking to a community and fostering its growth

Barriers to Niche Innovation

• Profitability desires

• Journalism roles – Passive observer versus active participant

• Gatekeeping – failure to listen to or know the audience

Typology

Typology

Normative Conclusions

• News sites should embrace innovations in contribution and niche content in order to thrive

• News producers should involve audience members in news making

• News producers should seek to serve the audience to fulfill their public service charge

Consequences of Failure to Innovate

• Traditional newspapers will lose:– Readers– Advertisers– Profit

• Online news sites without “professional” commitments will guide public opinion

• Dangers of “pandering”

Future Research

• Categorizations will help guide researchers seeking to distinguish “innovators” from “laggards”

• Normative prescriptions need empirical testing