600-word critical discussion of my introduction to new media and journalism studies

Over the past two weeks, our new media class has been introduced to the various facets of “new” media and journalism studies. This has been completely foreign terrain for all of us and it has been a whirlwind tour thus far. Despite the great deal of information that has been flung in our general direction, however, we have managed to obtain a general understanding of the significance of “new” media, specifically with regard to the current and future role of journalists within this digital medium.

The first significant debate that we encountered in our introduction to “new” media was the use of the word “new” when describing digitalised media. Lister (2002) interrogates the “newness” of digital media, stating that the term “new” media arises out of the modernist belief that views social progress as a direct result of technology. If one adopts this approach, one could view the development of technology and the subsequent rise of digital communication as “new”. Marshall (2004) however asserts that new forms of communication are only partially determined by their technology and are largely shaped from social and cultural conditions. It is possible to view a range of new characteristics when examining “new” media and journalism studies, such as a new way of representing the world through the creation of virtual environments, and a new relationship between media producer and audience (Lister 2002). However, one could argue that “new” media is not so much the introduction of new characteristics, but rather an improvement of more traditional mediums, described as “remediation” (Lister 2002:39). Kawamoto (2003:4) concurs with Lister's view, defining digital journalism as a “juxtaposition of old and new concepts”. “New” media do draw on traditional mediums of print, radio (audio) and television (visual) in the production and dissemination of news.

When examining the significance of “new” media and journalism studies, it is essential to highlight that the course is comprised of two facets: a practical and a theoretical facet. Both are equally significant in the pursuit of understanding and the gaining of knowledge surrounding “new” media. Lister (2002) asserts that technology cannot be separated from questions of practise, specifically with regard to how the technology is utilised and how content is generated. It is, therefore not sufficient to merely learn about the unique characteristics and practical skills of “new” media, but it is also necessary to examine “new” media from a theoretical perspective. Journalists and media workers need to obtain a greater understanding of the social, cultural, economic and historical facets of “new” media in order to fully exploit the potentiality of the medium and to do so responsibly.

An example would be the examination of the shifting power relations that has emerged with the increased popularity of “new” media. The heightened interactivity of digital media provides users with more power and agency with regard to media consumption and production, in which they possess more control and ownership than in traditional media forms (Marshall 2004). Users also have increased power in their ability to produce their own media through the use of blogs. Marshall (2004), however, questions the extent to which users are in control of “new” media practices. Described as the democratic medium, “new” media are understood to provide all people with the power over the means of production, however Marshall (2004) asserts that, much like traditional media, power and control is still concentrated in the hands of the elite minority. Users exercise their agency through the use of computer programs that have been designed by “new” media computer programmers. As a result, it is the computer programmer that determines the way people use computers and the level of interactivity and agency that users are able to access are confined to the boundaries of the program.

“New” media also needs to be critically examined with regard to the role of the journalist. Kawamoto (2003) highlights the dilemma of the journalist in the age of digital media, where anyone with access to the Internet can produce and publish news. Critical media studies may be utilised in determining the legitimate sources of news and information and discussions surrounding the integrity of journalism (Kawamoto 2003).


On the whole, the digitisation of media production has resulted in a variety of unique opportunities for the journalistic field (Lister 2002). Arguably one of the most unique opportunities of “new” media, that has already been mentioned, is its potential for interactivity between users and the media production process. The Internet has reconstructed many patterns of communication, allowing new communities to form through activities such as blogging and emailing (Marshall 12). “New” media is secondly a primarily multimedia form that is not confined to aspects of time and space like traditional media. As a result, media texts are no longer confined to a particular medium (Kawamoto 2003). One is, therefore, able to produce and access a variety of media around a single story or issue. For example, one could not only read an article, but could also listen to a live interview with an important source. Digitised information can also be disseminated at high speeds, thus enabling the production of news to be more immediate than other mediums. Updates can be made more frequently, ensuring the most current information is always available. The opportunities of “new” media also extend beyond the dissemination of news, and include the gathering of information (De Wolk 2001). Computer Assisted Research and Reporting (CARR) provide a unique opportunity for journalists to improve their quality of news gathering through the use of innovative analytical and technical tools (Kawamoto 2003).

There is still a great deal to learn about the field of “new” media and journalism studies, however the significance of our course has been highlighted through the discussion of the debate regarding the “newness” of “new” media, the prominence of the need to critically interrogate the various social, cultural, economic and political aspects of the practical application of “new” media, such as the concentration of power and the unique opportunities that digital media provides media producers and consumers.

Works Cited

De Wolk, R. (2001). Introduction to Online Journalism: Publishing News and Information. Allyn and Bacon. Boston

Kawamoto, K. (ed). (2003). Digital Journalism: emerging media and the changing horizons of journalism. Rohman and Littlefield:Lanham.

Lister, M. (2002). New Media: A Critical Introduction. Routledge: London.

Marshall, D. P. (2004). New Media Cultures. Oxford University Press: London.

What is a blog?

I have just finished my assignment on what is blogging for Brad and I thought I would post it here for all you interested readers. It just gives you all out there in the depths of cyberspace some idea of the work I am doing:

The rise of digital media in the late 20th and early 21st centuries has led to the emergence of a phenomenon whose popularity has grown from mere dozens in 1999 to millions by 2005 (Jensen 2003). The word is on every Internet user’s lips – blogs.

A web log, or blog, may be understood as a user-generated web-based publication where entries are made in an informal journal or diary format (wikipedia 2007). Blogs function in a number of ways, but primarily operate as a platform for users to comment and record their thoughts regarding a specific issue, and publish them over the Internet. Over the years, however, blogging has grown from a mere online record of a person’s thoughts to a “credible means of news dissemination and discussion” (wikipedia 2007). Bloggers have become media producers, but how does the journalism they produce compare and differ to conventional print and broadcast journalism?

In a democratic society, the media generally function to provide citizens with the information they need to make informed decisions about their society and a blog, as a platform for media production, functions in this way. However, blogs go beyond this function and differ greatly from conventional journalistic practices.

Arguably the leading difference between conventional journalism and blogging is that conventional journalism does not promote citizen participation, and has come under much criticism for its fortress-like media practices (Rosen 1999). Conventional journalism does not provide media consumers with the opportunity to comment on and discuss news issues. Blogging, however, promotes the participation of citizens in the media. One could argue that blogs are an example of citizen’s journalism whereby citizens are called upon to play an "active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information" (wikipedia 2007). Through its highly interactive nature, blogs give agency to individuals, motivating them to debate, discuss and question news issues. Conventional journalism, I would argue, promotes passivity on the part of its audience, while blogging promotes action.

Blogs also differ from conventional journalism in that they are produced by users for other users. The majority of bloggers are not qualified journalists and are producing news as citizens (Jensen 2003). Blogging is essentially a conversation between citizens and, as a result, is solution-oriented (Marlow 2004). Conventional news reports concentrate on publishing information on news issues, without necessarily thinking about the solutions. By stimulating commentary and debate, blogs do not only discuss the problem, but also potential solutions.

Another difference between blogs and conventional journalism is that, unlike conventional journalism, blogs are not obliged to adhere to ethical codes of conduct. While print journalists have to answer to the Press Ombudsmans Code and broadcast journalists are held accountable to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), blog users are so vast and numerous that there is no current means by which to regulate the information they publish. This has negative consequences in that it allows bloggers to fabricate facts and, as a result, the credibility of information posted on blogs is questionable.

Conventional journalism primarily utilises one medium by which to communicate news to citizens, be it print, radio or television. Blogs, however, support the use of multimedia, providing a user with a number of ways to consume news from a single platform. This serves to enhance the quality of information that users can access and provides them with a more holistic view of the news. Blogs also have special tools, such as feed readers, that allow users to access information that is only of interest to them. Instead of reading through an entire newspaper or listening to an entire news broadcast, bloggers can utilise feed readers to link to issues that are most interesting to them (Marlow 2004).

Blogs, while sharing a similar function to conventional journalism in democratic societies, differ greatly in a number of ways. As the popularity of blogging continues to rise, there may be a shift away from conventional, fortress-like journalistic practices to a more citizen-oriented approach to news coverage.

Works Cited
2007.“Citizen’s Journalism”. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 20, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_journalism
2007.“Blogging”. Wikipedia. Retrieved February 20, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogging
Jensen, M. 2003. “Emerging Alternatives: A Brief History of Weblogs”. Columbia Journalism Review , no 5. Retrieved February 20, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cjr.org/issues/2003/5/blog-jensen.asp?printerfriendly=yes
Marlow, C. 2004. “Audience, structure and authority in the weblog community”. MIT Media Laboratory. Retrieved February 20, 2007 from the World Wide Web: http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~cameron/cv/pubs/04-01.pdf
Rosen, J. 1999. “The Action of the Idea: Public Journalism in Built Form”. T. Glasser (ed). The Idea of Public Journalism. New York : Guilford Press.