The early 21st century saw the advent of the digital revolution in the dimension of mass media and journalism. Although the traditional format of delivering news in a fact-based, objective manner is the true essence of journalism, the advancement in technological fields and the proliferation of various social media networking platforms have encouraged the idea of citizen-based or activist journalism. News in short video format or flashing headline pieces of content is something we come across on various platforms nowadays; some of them are propagated under the name of reputed mainstream media houses. At the same time, others are circulated under the free will of independent journalists.
How various aspects of journalism got impacted by the digital revolution:
- Traditional journalism: Newspapers are the prominent framework of print media, and they have impacted society for several years with their neutral stance on various issues and professional news reporting. However, they are the ones to decline the most after the emergence of the digital media format because editorial and reporting jobs in this domain are expected to decrease more soon. Mobile-based applications like short news apps or websites are seemingly taking over the interest of news readers due to the ease of access because of internet availability.
- Broadcast & cable journalism: Since the invention of the radio, multiple broadcast journalists have ruled the audience for many years with their authoritative voices and factually correct information related to news and current events of the nation. With the digital proliferation of multiple streaming platforms, these broadcasters have now switched to these channels to show compelling and high-definition videos and pull a large audience. Unlike the mainstream media, they have repeatedly projected different aspects of social unrest and mass movement from unique angles. Short video features of certain apps have proved to be effective tools for broadcasting video content.
- Investigative journalism: Using this, they can comb through the years of financial or political browsing history, call logs, and unravel the industrial records to gain the edge on the crucial data sets. They must back their stories or claims with sufficient data and relevant information.
- Sports journalism: Sports being an essential part of the socio-economic growth of any country, forms an integral part of mass media and journalism. From the age of print media to this date, sports writers and analysts have played a vital role in describing and analyzing the growth rate and success parameters of various players and their respective sports. With the adaptation to digital mode, dedicated channels in the format of short news online discuss sports that are being played and loved by the nation.
- Social media news: Famous social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been the breeding ground for journalists learning to evolve with time. They are learning to monetize their content through paid advertisements, sponsored posts, etc.
Various features and functionalities are provided to the users in the digital mode, like content and language flexibility, instant news coverage of the latest events, and short news format like 60-word news or 60 seconds video updates for quick news delivery. With these many options, the digital mode of journalism is expected to flourish by leaps and bounds.
