Online Journalism blog - Natalie Fletcher

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...