Online Journalism blog - Natalie Fletcher

  Man reading newspaper in Florence, Italy [provided royalty free by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com] In the ever-changing world of journalism, the internet is becoming more and more necessary to reach the desired audiences. That said, the internet is a global phenomenon, where anyone, anywhere, can access it anytime. Reporting for online audiences can have its challenges, and its advantages. The first point of note, is to ask what is relevant to the global audience compared to what is relevant for a community? When reporting online, you may be faced with the situation of a world audience who won’t care about a local from your community who just did something mildly commendable. Instead, you must evaluate what the global audience would prefer to see, to focus on a different aspect of a story. This could be drawing focus to a conflict over the people, or if something is high profile enough, drawing focus to the people rather than the context surrounding it – though context must al...

Woman on phone with computer [provided royalty-free by pexels.com] In journalism, the online sphere is fast becoming one of the biggest, and most relevant ways to reach audiences. With print media slowly becoming obsolete, the use of social media and online platforms is becoming the way we consume our news. But how can we make it relevant for online audiences, is there much difference from print? The short answer here, is yes. Paul Bradshaw (2018, pp. 73-74) states there are several differences between print media and online media. The main differences come down to interactivity and connectivity. Since the online medium is capable of more than just repeating what goes out in the newspaper, it would be foolish not to utilise everything it has to offer. Journalists can add links, photo galleries, videos, audio files and so much more. Doing so can help readers connect with the online content in a way they can’t with print. They can engage with the content, find out more, find links ...

  Man reading news on iPad with coffee [provided by pexels.com royalty free] In online journalism, sources are a vital part of almost every story. Crime stories often use quotes from the police or a witness, community stories use members of the community or a councilmember, entertainment stories may use the words of a director or actor. Almost every form of story is enhanced by the usage of sources. But what is it that makes a source credible? The best sources will be people close to what you’re reporting on. Whether this is a company representative, people within the community who have been directly affected by something or even people whose loved ones have been tragically victimised by an event. Credible sources will always be the people that know things about the event or idea. They will be the ‘experts’ in a situation. It wouldn’t make much sense if you interviewed a homeless man about rising petrol prices, or a teenager about a housing crisis. In online news, whether i...

  The use of online media has been growing over the past decade. News organisations have websites, social media pages and blogs. Instead of a weekly or weekend-only paper, readers now have access to the news 24/7, whether it’s on paper, on the TV or the radio, or online. But why have we moved so deep into the online sphere? Why can it be more beneficial to do so? The main answer to these questions is timing. With the use of online publications and social media, readers have access to updates and news immediately, as it happens. The most recent example of this is the COVID-19 updates presented by state leaders every morning. These updates are hosted on news websites such as Sky News (see picture), social media websites such as Facebook and other forms of online media. If we were still in the era of newspapers dropped off every morning, or you have to go up to the local shop just to pick one up every Sunday, then these important updates may not reach every household in time, ...

With the rise of online platforms, news has adapted accordingly. Mainstream outlets are expanding their reach by using online platforms, Facebook profiles, polls, Twitter updates, etc. Shows like the Today Show often host Facebook polls and they broadcast the results live, as well as comments and opinions from their watchers. But what is it that defines news online? What is it that makes it different than the traditional forms of media? The simplest answer to this question is that it’s hosted on a widespread platform. Regional newspapers have now got an online presence, allowing them to reach not only their target community, but anyone. Another answer to this question is that when news is hosted online, it gives people a chance to have their say and debate with others in the comments section. Now, with COVID-19, press briefings from the state premieres are live-streamed, and people are commenting live. However, the use of social media platforms and other forms of online media has...