The development of journalism in the face of social media

Abstract: Journalism is a long-established profession prevalent in society in the vast majority of the world. The rise of social media over the last ten years has seen a significant influence on the way in which news is reported and digested by all parties within journalism, with traditional journalists taking on a developed role utilising social media as both a way to deliver and to promote their work. Several studies have been conducted on what the rise of social media does to journalism, and from the perspective of various positions within the industry. However, there has been little in-depth qualitative research into what journalists themselves actually feel about their professional interaction with social media. This study investigates the journalists perspective on the impact social media has had on their profession, and on how they perform their role. A series of interviews conducted with journalists also look at the participant’s beliefs about the change in audience interaction. Interactivity with the audience, and the rise of the citizen journalist, as well as the journalist’s preferences for working with social media, are all investigated and implemented as part of the study. In conclusion, the paper validates that social media has drastically altered journalism as it once was, with contrasting beliefs on whether it has interfered with or advanced the profession.