Breaking down the gates with participatory journalism: leveraging user-generated content for today's journalistic practices
Date
2018
Authors
Kellerhals, Blair, author
Wolfgang, J. David, advisor
Williams, Elizabeth, committee member
Champ, Joseph G., committee member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
With the increase in user-generated content (UGC) with today's information communication technologies (ICTs), there is ample opportunity for journalists to leverage UGC in their reporting. Because media organizations are continuously looking for creative and innovative ways to harness UGC to keep pace with today's ever-changing digital environment, there is a considerable amount of room to explore the effects on what this type of content has on journalistic practices. In an effort to understand how UGC fits into journalists' everyday work routines, this study seeks to understand how UGG encourages or impedes journalists' professional norms and values. This study revealed that journalists experience a considerable amount of internal conflict in leveraging UGC. Journalists expressed that they use UGC as a supplement to their existing reporting practices and avoid engaging with audiences for fear of challenging their journalistic ethics and norms.