New Journalism Ecologies in East and Southern Africa: Innovations, Participatory and Newsmaking Cultures

This volume explores the case studies of news media employing and integrating social media into their news production practices, linking social media use to journalistic practices and news production processes in the digital age of the Global South. It critically examines seminal cases of start-up news media informed by trends in social media, ethical considerations, and participatory cultures. The extent to which new media technologies and citizen journalism have reconfigured traditional journalism practice remains debatable, with questions around the limits of social media in journalism practice. Social media has also transformed the political economy of media production, allowing citizens to produce, package, and distribute news and information with shoestring budgets and in authoritarian regimes. This volume seeks to explore and untangle these issues, providing an invaluable resource for researchers across journalism, mass media, and communication studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 319 pages
Publication date: 25 March 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This comprehensive volume delves into the fascinating realm of news media, exploring the innovative ways in which they have embraced and integrated social media into their news production practices. It establishes a strong connection between social media usage and journalistic practices, particularly in the context of the digital age prevalent in the Global South. Through critical analysis, the chapters delve into seminal cases of start-up news media that have been shaped by trends in social media, ethical considerations, and the participatory cultures fostered by the widespread adoption of social media.

The research on the potential of new media technologies, traditional journalism, and citizen reporting has been extensive, and the debate surrounding the extent to which these new media tools and citizen journalism have transformed or reconfigured traditional journalism practices continues to be lively. However, there are pressing questions about the boundaries of social media in journalism, as the ethical lines continue to blur. It is this complex conundrum of social media's role in reshaping media, newsmaking, production, and participatory cultures that demands further investigation.

Moreover, social media has revolutionized the political economy of media production, empowering citizens to produce, package, and distribute news and information with limited resources and even in authoritarian regimes without legal licenses. This new political economy has shifted power dynamics, as citizens now have the ability to challenge hegemonic narratives and reclaim control over the narrative. Citizens can also take on journalistic roles of investigation and whistleblowing, although these activities are often conducted without proper regulation or oversight.

This volume aims to unravel these complex issues and provide a valuable resource for researchers across the field of journalism. By examining the case studies presented herein, scholars and practitioners can gain insights into the evolving landscape of social media and its impact on news production, media practices, and democratic discourse.

Weight: 543g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031236242
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023