In the face of struggles over journalistic epistemology arising in the present, this study proposes the concept of “epistemic contests” as a way of analyzing efforts by various actors to shape know...

This article examines how pioneer journalism communities reimagine journalistic epistemology from the periphery, and traces how ideas about journalism as a form of knowledge are embodied in their m...

Platform companies play a crucial role in the creation, dissemination, and business of news. They are also central actors in artificial intelligence (AI) which has led some to argue that the increa...

Many news media publish content on social media where it must meet the success factors of algorithmic selection in order to attract attention. One possible strategy for that is news softening. Howe...

Liveblogs are very popular with the public and journalists alike. The problem, though, is their credibility, given the uncertainty of the covered events and the immediacy of their production. Littl...

In a rapidly changing digital world, scholars have focused on new technologies, communication trends, and have re-imagined new ways of doing or transforming journalism. In these endeavours, however...

Nearly half a century since the first calls for comparisons of national-level media-political relations, comparative studies of media systems – and even more so of digital journalism – are still an...

In this paper, we seek to introduce the term “affective epistemology” into digital journalism studies. Building on twenty-seven interviews with media workers reporting on the Russo-Ukrainian War an...

It is widely accepted that data materiality serves as the breeding ground of data journalism’s performativity, in some cases functioning as the sole ingredient for news construction. Material ident...

This study examines the transforming power of aggregation in a traditional newsroom based on the practice theory approach. Through ethnographic observations of aggregated news production in action ...

This study provides empirical support for undertheorized phenomena in contemporary digital news reporting—the foregrounding of joy-based news values and the presentation of affective, immanent atmo...

For journalists, numerous digital tools such as spreadsheets or web application are readily available for easy implementation. However, using programming to build or modify scripts has been an unex...

In this introduction, we draw together the articles in the special issue on the platformization of news, highlighting that the articles contribute by answering two central questions. First, what is...

To understand how journalism is made and what news is, it is helpful to center “the press” as an object of analysis and concern, a way to see the conditions under which news is made and made meanin...

What makes people share political news on Facebook? Prior studies have identified how different features predict audiences’ likelihood to share news on social media – the so-called shareworthiness ...

Abstract While fact-checking has received much attention as a tool to fight misinformation online, fact-checking efforts have yielded limited success in combating political misinformation due to partisans’ biased information processing. The efficacy of fact-checking often decreases, if not backfires, when the fact-checking messages contradict individual audiences’ political stance. To explore ways

Abstract During the 2019 Indian general election, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi launched his #MainBhiChowkidar (I am also a watchman) campaign, which can be understood as an attempt to undermine the institutionalized watchdog or monitoring system, including journalism, in democratic India. Through the lens of positioning theory, this qualitative study examines how 89 Indian journalists responded

Abstract In recent decades, significant transformations in audience characteristics and the media environment have necessitated a reassessment of audience analysis. Communication scholars have increasingly recognized the value of utilizing digital traces as valuable resources to understand audience behaviors. This research presents a comprehensive review of 243 audience analyses that incorporate digital

Published in Digital Journalism (Ahead of Print, 2023)

Abstract Given the importance of fact-checking in reducing the spread of false information on social media, prior research has examined effective fact-checking strategies. The current study addresses this question by conducting a computational analysis of actual fact-checking tweets of three representative fact-checking organizations in the United States (Factcheck.org, PolitiFact, Snopes), replies

Abstract Understanding the impact of digital media on news inequalities is critical for democracy. The literature on incidental exposure challenges the idea that major platforms shrink information gaps, and research has turned to the identification of variables that explain how those gaps widen or persist. We use Latent Class Analysis to operationalize the metaphor of “attracting the news” and investigate

Abstract Definitions of news are increasingly fraught in today’s media environment, making audience assessments of news-ness – the degree to which something is considered news – particularly important. Drawing from literature on representation in news and news-ness, we explore how seeing news that features a similar age group affects ratings of news-ness. We also argue that relevance offers as a psychological

Abstract With the rising availability and volume of data, journalists are finding ways to integrate data-rich information into news content and make them accessible to everyday news readers by accompanying them with exemplifying cases. However, these exemplars do not always fully capture the complexity of the data patterns, leading to significant biases in readers’ issue perceptions. Drawing on the

Abstract Despite it being somewhat of a niche project back in 2009, at this stage of its evolution, data journalism has gained significant traction to grow into a maturing field. However, little is known about the intersection of data journalism and collaboration in the news organizations’ business models from an infrastructure perspective, that is, key activities, key resources, and partner networks

Abstract We examine the work that U.S. young adults undertake to design and maintain their personal media worlds across digital platforms, and the consequences of those practices for news use. Drawing on 50 in-depth interviews with 18-34-year-olds, including a shared reading of participants’ most-used social media platforms, we develop the concept of personal platform architecture and articulate links

Abstract The circulation of fake news on social media platforms has drawn increasing concern. At this point, the community reporting of fake news remains a key mechanism used by these platforms to identify information to block or label as misleading. Yet, little is known about the factors that motivate or dissuade the use of this mechanism and its perceived effectiveness to combat fake news. This study

Abstract The emerging use of Conversational Agents (CAs), such as Google Assistant, highlights the role of algorithmic gatekeeping power in news consumption. However, our knowledge of the effects of CAs on shaping the public’s perception of the most important topics (issue salience) is limited. To investigate this, we conducted a seven-day longitudinal survey in the Netherlands, comparing the most

Abstract Data has become an increasingly important commodity for news organizations. The capability to extract, store, and analyze data is also central to organizational decision-making. Drawing on the concept of epistemic infrastructures, this study sheds light on organizational datafication in journalism. Analyzing job advertisements of incumbent broadcast, print legacy, and online-only news outlets

Abstract This article studies local news media’s relationship with audiences from an organizational perspective. It is based on 45 semi-structured interviews conducted in eleven local news organizations in European French-speaking countries (France, Switzerland and Belgium), that explored the implementation of actions aiming at revitalizing the link with audiences, the role of the hierarchy and the

Abstract The question of “who is a journalist?” has animated much discussion in journalism scholarship. Such discussions generally stem from the intersecting technological, economic, and social transformations journalism has faced in the twenty-first century. An equally relevant aspect, albeit one that has hitherto been less studied, is what a journalist looks like. Some studies have tackled this through

Published in Digital Journalism (Ahead of Print, 2023)

Abstract In order to better understand alternative news media, we need to focus more centrally on the audiences that regularly consume them. This special issue, entitled “Contesting the Mainstream: Understanding Alternative News Media,” advances such an audience turn. In the introduction, we outline how scholars have understood and characterized alternative news audiences. These have ranged from seeing

Abstract The global field of fact-checking organizations has experienced a dramatic shift in focus since 2016, from checking claims by politicians and other public figures to policing viral misinformation on social networks. What practitioners call “debunking,” once a minor focus, now dominates the agenda of leading outlets and accounts for the bulk of fact-checks produced worldwide, driven in part

Abstract The electronic surveillance capabilities of law enforcement in Australia have significantly strengthened in recent years creating considerable impacts on the practice of journalism. This paper reports on Australia’s hyper-legislative approach and the normalization of surveillance reflecting on what this means for journalists’ ability to securely communicate with sources and trust the digital

Abstract Traditional news factors are still widely recognised as explaining the functionality of news. However, the recent development of social media forces us to consider new news factors and a news genre. Building on the social media logic applied in journalism, we argue that the specificity of social media news may differ from that of traditional news. By applying the notion of shareability and

Abstract This article contributes to our understanding of the notion of mob censorship from the Ugandan context by examining the nature and consequences of harassment targeting women journalists on social media. Drawing on research about online harassment and censorship, we link mob violence in physical spaces to harassment encountered on social media from the perspectives of women journalists. We

This study engages in a sociotechnical analysis of Facebook and Google to understand the material means by which these corporations strive to engage journalists vis-à-vis their business models. Thr...

Abstract This paper argues the benefits of approaching the ongoing contentions and power dynamics in journalism as a strategic action field (JSAF). This meso-level, actor-centered analytical framework offers insights into how contestations in journalism are decided by the social skills of key stakeholders. JSAF distinguishes between three types of social actors (incumbents, governance units, and challengers)

Abstract Recommender systems are increasingly used to prioritise and personalise content on news websites, and many news organisations develop their own systems to align them with internal logics, values, and goals. Based on two case studies of the development and implementation of recommender systems within the Scandinavian daily press, this study contributes with insights into how news organisations

Abstract Amid the rise of computational and data-driven journalism, many newsrooms are using GitHub as a platform for collaborative work on news products. Despite the growing importance of GitHub in journalism, little is known about how a newsroom’s information disclosure on GitHub shapes audiences’ credibility judgment of the news outlet. Integrating theoretical insights from the transactive memory

Abstract This article investigates under which video watch conditions YouTube’s recommender system tends to develop a preference for conspiracy-classified videos. Whereas existing research on so-called filter bubbles and rabbit holes tends to rely on non-personalized recommendations and on standard watch patterns, this study puts personalization and diversified user strategies at the center of its

Abstract The use of information has changed in recent years—particularly among young adults, for whom social media are now the most important gateway to engage with news and various other types of information. Focusing on Instagram, this multi-method research project takes an audience-centered approach and investigates how young adults use the platform for (which kind of) information, the information

Abstract This study examines how extended family group chats on WhatsApp operate as meso-news spaces, focusing on how misinformation is negotiated within these spaces. Through interviews with urban Indian young adults (N = 26), it finds that these spaces are characterized by a mix of interpersonal interaction and news, including misinformation. The findings suggest that young Indians believe that older

Abstract The affordances of social media potentially amplify the effects of disinformation by offering the possibility to present deceptive content and sources in credible and native ways. We investigate the effects of two aspects related to the dissemination and modality of digital disinformation: (In)authentic references to the ordinary people as sources of disinformation and the multimodal embedding

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionately negative affect on women, especially women from minoritized groups. Minority news media are an important information source for these groups, when it comes to providing alternative views, and health related information. Whilst the poor representation of women in COVID-19 related mainstream news coverage is acknowledged, little is known regarding

Abstract For online news organizations trying to improve audience engagement strategies, Facebook Groups and Messenger chats constitute promising avenues. We explore whether these meso news-spaces, with different discourse architectures and group sizes, affect the substance of the discussion and people’s impressions. In this study, we experimentally tested how training and intimate forms of news engagement

Abstract Online personal messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are now hugely popular around the world. Yet their role in the spread and social correction of misinformation remains under-researched. We carried out in-depth, semi-structured interviews with the UK public (N = 102) to explore how social relationships and technological design interact and foster norms regulating how

Published in Digital Journalism (Ahead of Print, 2023)

Abstract This study incorporates the concepts of transparency, innovation, and collaboration within a broader analytic lens of trust-building infrastructure and applies that lens to an examination of the use of GitHub by 124 prominent news outlets over more than a decade. It finds that (a) their use of GitHub is not widespread but several outlets do actively use it; (b) they use GitHub to open-source

Abstract Engineering teams – a form of newsroom innovation labs – have been heralded as survival entities in the news ecosystem as they have the potential to improve where news goes and moves. At The Washington Post, these teams have been around for three years, and they started to implement tools like election models fueled by A.I. and smart data pipelines that can possibly affect the autonomy and

Abstract The shifting role of journalism in a digital age has affected long-standing journalistic norms across media platforms. This has reinvigorated discussion on how work in online newsrooms compares to other platforms that differ in media affordances and forms. Still, more studies are needed on whether those differences translate into distinct practices, especially when examining cross-national

Abstract Trust lies at the heart of the disinformation crisis, as citizens must decide which narratives to follow and whether to accept “alternative truths.” Therefore, trust in institutions that publish reliable information can act as a shield against disinformation. This comparative study investigates the role of trust in news media and political actors and general attitudes toward democracy in the

Abstract In an era characterized by the widespread use of algorithmic systems and platforms in news production and distribution practices, the ethical practices of journalists face significant challenges. Drawing on Floridi’s onlife framework, this study aims to shed light on journalist-machine interactions and explores new ways to rearchitect journalism ethical standards through an integrative, object-oriented

Abstract In this commentary, I look back on ten years of Digital Journalism, and our shared efforts to define a field of Digital Journalism Studies. In doing so, I reflect on the strengths of our field as a socialized space as it has matured, and address two focal points, balance and uncertainty, which have centered my thinking about Digital Journalism Studies research. I then offer three recommendations

Abstract In this introduction to the special issue Design + Journalism, we present a manifesto about the future of design and journalism. This manifesto discusses the key areas that need attention in order to develop a more robust bridge between design and journalism. The manifesto is structured by the following three notions: (1) Recognizing design contributions in the field; (2) Integrating design

Abstract During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the routines of face-to-face news gathering and newsroom interaction were severely disrupted by the new normal of physical distancing and remote work. So far, journalism scholars have addressed news production, performance, employment and mental health, among other topics, but not the mobilities and immobilities of journalists during this period

Abstract Within journalism literature, the relationship between journalists and their haters, the audiences who threaten journalistic authority, has been portrayed as antagonistic. However, fan studies scholarship suggests that anti-fans can be just as engaged, committed, and beneficial as fans. In fact, they contribute to solidifying the celebrity’s fame and status. Borrowing insight from anti-fandom

Abstract Widespread concerns about the spread of misinformation have gained urgency during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and pose challenges for science journalism, in particular in the health area. This article reports on a Research through Design study exploring how to design a tool for helping readers of science journalism understand the strength and uncertainty of scientific evidence in news stories

Abstract As political alternative media have become increasingly prominent, a key question is whether they are likely to strengthen or weaken how established democracies work. The purpose of this commentary is hence to discuss this question, focusing specifically on whether political alternative media are likely or not to contribute to a more informed citizenry. Although there may be great differences

Abstract During recent years, growing concerns about emergent formats of visual disinformation and, in particular, deepfakes have shaped public debates and media scholarship. Empirical studies about deepfakes have most often focused on investigating their potential effects on news audiences. However, very little is known about how they impact producers of mediated communication and what strategies