Online journalism has some similarities to the mediums of print, radio and television. It still involves the communicating of news and current affairs and it still retains the journalistic values of other forms of journalism. But the medium also has some unique differences.
Characteristics specific to online journalism include hypertext, interactivity and multimedia (Ward, 2002: 20-22). Hyperlinks can be used to navigate through a news website and to connect the web-user to related content. This related content may be located in the web pages of the news site or elsewhere in the world wide web. This can supplement news stories and provide access to background material and other related information.
Use of multimedia is another vital element of online journalism. News stories published on the web can be complemented with graphics, photographs, animations, audio streams and video footage. Part of the reason such multimedia is available is due to the use of convergence, where sounds or images used in other mediums are repurposed for the online environment (Wendland: 2002). BBC Online is a good example of a news website employing multimedia obtained by repurposing content from BBC television and radio bulletins.
Interactivity is another characteristic of online journalism. There is a limited degree of interactivity in the other news mediums. Examples of this include letters to the editor in print media and calls from listeners on radio and occasionally television. The online environment, however, is even more suited to interactivity and provides many opportunities for involving and communicating with web-users (Deuze, 2003: 213).
There are three categories of interactivity in online journalism. Navigational interactivity allows the user to move through the sites to information of specific interest to them by clicking on relevant hyperlinks. Functional interactivity allows users to participate by interacting with other users and the news outlet’s journalists through discussion forums and email. Adaptive interactivity allows the customisation of the site to a specific users preference. It also enables users to influence the type content on the website, as web traffic is monitored and the site is modified to reflect the audience’s interests (Deuze, 2003: 214).
Other characteristics of online journalism include archiving ability, immediacy and non-linear structure (Ward, 2002: 23-25). News websites contain archived material which is easily stored in the virtually limitless environment of the world wide web. This is unique to online news, as traditional mediums do not have the capability to provide readily accessible archived material.
Immediacy is a critical element of online journalism. Breaking news is available to audiences from the moment it is uploaded onto the news website. This can be done quickly and at any time allowing online information to be extremely up-to-date.
The consumption of information in online journalism is non-linear. Web-users can select which stories they wish to read and may ignore the rest. This differs to television and radio broadcasts where all stories are presented and ordered according to the choices of newsroom executives.
The structure of online journalism is also non-linear. Information cannot merely be presented as a block of text where web-users must endlessly scroll down. Instead of this large block of writing, information is constructed into related components linked together. This enables web-users to view only the critical information or to also access background information and subsidiary details.
Back to Applications of Online Journalism
References
BBC Online [Homepage of BBC Online] [Online], 28 Oct, 2004 – last update. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ [Accessed 28 Oct. 2004].
Deuze, M. (2003) “The web and its journalisms: considering the consequences of different types of newsmedia online,� New Media & Society, vol. 5, no.2, pp. 203-230.
De Wolk, R. (2001) Introduction to Online Journalism: Publishing News and Information, Needham Heights, MA.: Allyn and Bacon, ISBN 0205286895.
Froomkin, D. (2004) “Ideas for Online Publications: Lessons From Blogs, Other Signposts,� Online Journalism Review, retrieved August 9, 2004, from http://ojr.org/ojr/workplace/1085603014.php.
Ward, M. (2002) Journalism Online, Oxford, Great Britain: Focal Press, ISBN 0240516109.
Wendland, M. (2002) "Convergence: Repurposing Journalism," Poynteronline, retrieved August 12, 2004, from http://www.poynteronline.org/dg.lts/id.14558/content.content_view.html.
Hayley Rayment 00:54, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
