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1: Journalism in the 21st Century

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    When we talk about journalists, we tend to think of people working as professional journalists, photographers, or broadcasters at traditional mass media outlets (also called legacy media). These outlets include newspapers (now often published online), radio stations and television channels. However, since the late 20th century, when access to the internet became widespread, people have been practising journalism in many other ways – ordinary citizens now occasionally do some of the things that journalists used to do, sometimes not even realising that they are doing journalistic work. The purpose of this open textbook is to provide a general introduction to journalism in the 21st century to both journalism students and anyone who, perhaps unknowingly, create their own types of journalism. These new types of journalists include bloggers, entrepreneurial journalists, social media users, newsletter writers, and YouTube and TikTok creators, among others. In the digital era, journalism skills are valuable skills to anyone who creates or distributes news or information. Journalism skills include an understanding of news, the context of the media, legal and ethical issues around creating and distributing all types of content, and practical skills. This textbook contains ideas to help prospective independent journalists with journalistic entrepreneurship. Scholars agree that journalism can be defined very broadly today (Deuze, 2018, 2019; Wahl-Jorgensen & Hanitzsch, 2020). It is no longer something that only trained journalists do. Knowing and understanding journalism will help everyone to tell better stories; to perhaps earn an independent income; and, importantly, to do it an ethical and compassionate way.

    • 1.1: The Role of Journalism in the Digital Era
      This page examines the evolving role of journalism in various political contexts, highlighting its watchdog function in democracies and its existence in authoritarian regimes. It discusses the rise of digital platforms that empower everyday citizens to engage in journalism, fostering political change and diversity in storytelling. The South African media landscape illustrates historical biases that necessitate calls for decolonization and inclusive narratives.

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