The Key Factors Affecting the Preparation and Delivery of Online News

 

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, or at all. Therefore, news in online media must be kept current – this means updating articles with each new piece of information put out there, even if it’s a revision to prior published work. This means live updates on important topics such as elections, results of a sports game or, as mentioned above, health updates. Immediacy is the main reason to adapt to online news (Bradshaw 2018, pp. 11-12; Bradshaw 2010; Craig 2010, pp. 21-27).

But is there more to it?

Let’s now look at social media. As a whole, social media is a place for people to go and share bits and pieces of their lives, access other peoples’ and view what’s going on in the world. Most news organisations have some form of social media account, and many journalists have personal accounts too. Twitter, for example, is a great place to get live, rolling updates about what’s going on in the world, even if it’s not in your country. However, it also gives journalists a chance to add their own opinion into the conversation – though they must always be careful about what type of opinion they wish to express. It also gives readers a chance to interact directly with the journalist.

The use of social media can be seen as a more interactive form of releasing the news – with photographs and videos generally accompanying a caption which briefly describes what is going on. Almost always, these accounts will have a general link in their account bio to direct readers to websites, new articles, and YouTube accounts. Since social media is one of the biggest forms of internet platforms around in the twenty-first century, it seems silly to think news organisations wouldn’t take advantage of this fact.

Bibliography:

Bradshaw, P 2018, The Online Journalism Handbook, 2^nd Ed., Routledge, Abingdon-on-Thames, United Kingdom

Craig, D 2010, ‘Excellence in Online Journalism’, Sage Publications, California, United States, viewed 3 August 2021,

< Excellence in Online Journalism: Exploring Current Practices in an Evolving ... - David A. Craig - Google Books

Bradshaw, P 2010, ‘Why do People Read Online News? (Research Summary)’, The Online Journalism Blog, weblog post, 27 May, viewed 3 August 2021,

< Why do people read online news? (Research summary) | Online Journalism Blog

George, R 2020, ‘Why the Internet is the Best Source of News’, The Web Writer Spotlight, weblog post, 1 October, viewed 3 August 2021,

< Why the Internet Is Best Source of News | The Web Writer Spotlight (@writerspotlight)

Wu, D 2021, ‘Queensland Health authorities concerned for young people as state records 16 new infections’, Sky News, 3 August, viewed 3 August 2021,

< WATCH LIVE: Queensland Health announces COVID-19 cases, news, update | Sky News Australia