Abstract

New Information and Communication Technologies (NICTs) are transforming newsmaking practices and journalistic cultures across the globe. Although factors such as lack of Internet access and prohibitive costs are constraining the adoption of these interactive digital technologies in most African countries, journalists are creatively appropriating these digital tools in their everyday professional work. Informed by the concept of journalism culture and the social constructionist approach to technology, this article examines the lived experiences of Zimbabwean journalists covering the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Drawing upon the first-hand accounts of 21 journalists covering this pandemic, this study explores the adoption and appropriation of digital technologies in their newsmaking practices. Despite challenges of resources such as finances, internet access and lack of protective gear, Zimbabwean journalists increasingly relied on interactive digital tools such as WhatsApp and Twitter to generate story ideas, conduct diary meetings, and for virtual sourcing.

摘要

新的信息和通信技术 (NICT) 正在改变全球的新闻制作实践和新闻文化。尽管缺乏互联网接入和高昂的成本等因素限制了大多数非洲国家采用这些交互式数字技术，但记者们正在创造性地在日常专业工作中使用这些数字工具。本文以新闻文化的概念和社会建构主义的技术方法为基础，考察了津巴布韦记者报道新型冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 的生活经历。本研究利用 21 位报道这一流行病的记者的第一手资料，探讨了数字技术在新闻制作实践中的采用和挪用。