Abstract

Utilizing a constellation of conceptual tenets drawn from critical digital technology theory, field theory and concepts of digital democracy, this article argues that the post-coup period in Zimbabwe has solidified digital journalism practices in three main ways. These are: (i) the consolidation of a digital leak journalism culture, (ii) an increasingly ferocious form of digital guerrilla journalism, and (iii) the rise in popularity, of small digital-based news platforms that, arguably, are increasingly eclipsing already established mainstream (digital) news platforms as sources of news. These practices’ nascent roots have their genesis in the early 2000 period. In the post-coup context, they have assumed a new and wider meaning, and have become part of the mainstream. This solidification of digital journalism practices has consequently enabled journalists to “speak back” to power by providing robust forms of investigative journalism, and simultaneously avoiding being ‘swallowed’ by the state. While we admit to various gradations of digital journalism practices before the coup, we use the coup as our point of departure in order to factor in the incrementally disruptive and repressive political environment that has forced journalists to adopt digital journalism practices more than in any period of the country’s history.

摘要

本文利用来自批判性数字技术理论、领域理论和数字民主概念的一系列概念原则，认为津巴布韦的政变后时期以三种主要方式巩固了数字新闻实践。它们是：(i) 数字泄密新闻文化的巩固，(ii) 越来越凶猛的数字游击新闻形式，以及 (iii) 越来越受欢迎的小型数字新闻平台，可以说，这些平台正日益黯然失色已经建立了主流（数字）新闻平台作为新闻来源。这些实践的萌芽起源于 2000 年初。在政变后的背景下，它们具有了新的、更广泛的含义，并已成为主流的一部分。因此，数字新闻实践的这种巩固使记者能够通过提供强大的调查性新闻形式“回击”权力，同时避免被国家“吞噬”。虽然我们承认政变前数字新闻实践的不同等级，但我们将政变作为我们的出发点，以考虑到越来越多的破坏性和压制性政治环境，这迫使记者比任何时期都更多地采用数字新闻实践。该国的历史。