Mobile and Social Media Journalism

By Aamir Abdullah, Professor, Amity School of Communication, Amity University Gurugram

Introduction: Mobile phones have without a doubt revolutionised news production, dissemination and reception and therefore radically and irreversibly changed journalism. Mobile storytelling is faster and allows instantaneous editing and uploading which has meant a death blow to the traditional role of the editor and the classic gatekeeping function of editorializing and selecting content. Not just inside the newsroom, the greatest impact of mobile and social media journalism has been on the audiences. If in the past, people relied on newspapers, radio, and television to know what was happening in the world, today news is only a touch away on their smart phones.

Therefore, over the last few years, mobile phones have become the most important tools for modern journalists. With a smartphone, a reporter can record video, capture photos, write notes, and publish instantly. This immediacy was unthinkable before the advent of the mobile and social media journalism. Event after event, we have seen that eyewitnesses share live updates before traditional reporters can even arrive on the ground and within minutes the videos go viral and flood social media. The audiences benefit from this accessibility, as news is available round the clock, updated in real time, often delivered through push notifications.

Tech giants and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have become global newsrooms. The power and reach of these big tech companies is unfathomable. Journalists use them to reach website and app ‘users’ directly across the globe, bypassing traditional editors, regulatory mechanisms and national broadcasters. This has a tremendous democratizing function as ordinary citizens can share videos or posts that go viral and in so doing shape public opinion on important issues- locally, nationally and globally. This democratization of journalism has given a new voice to those in the margins who could not afford to access newsrooms or were ignored by the legacy press.

However, it is clear to see that this lack of gatekeeping has unleashed the threat of unchecked and unverified information being passed off as news as it has blurred the line between professional reporting and casual sharing, raising questions about credibility, verisimilitude and ethical standards of the new age, modern journalism pushed through mobile phones and social media platforms. To put it more simplistically, one of the greatest challenges before mobile and social media journalism is balancing speed with accuracy. The pressure to publish quickly often leads to oversight and loathness to verifying news from sources or from the actual sites of occurrences. Rumours and fake videos spread like wild fires, and misinformation acquires a legitimate news form circulating within seconds creating its own echo chambers and filter bubbles that amplify the ‘virality’. A single false tweet can reach millions before amendments can be affected or errors acknowledged. Mostly. It is too late before that is done.

Given the enormous threat of fake news, misinformation and disinformation that can compromise democracies and break the trust of millions of users, journalists must ask themselves whether it is more important to be first to tell or to be factually correct. Credible journalism that acquires the trust of readers requires careful verification and sourcing of information even in a fast-moving digital environment.

That said, mobile journalism stands out for its strong visual storytelling style and format. Many say that the triumph of mobile and social media journalism is a format war won. Short videos, live streams, and photos dominate social media feeds, and it is well established that audiences prefer quick, engaging content over lengthy, long read articles that require undivided attention and reading time. This has changed how stories are told. Instead of publishing a long written report on an event or an opinion piece or analysis of it, news organization find it more engaging in terms of audience engagement metrics to share a short video showing a clipping of the same. Such visual storytelling has immediacy and authenticity as pictures speak for themselves. This again, scholars point out, leads to oversimplification of complex issues into a binary, a yes and no situation that muzzles long term public debates on them leading to an erosion of democratic deliberation with telling impact on law, policy-making and governance.

Another distinctive feature of social media and mobile journalism is its interactivity, which has been hailed as the most outstanding characteristic of Web 2.0. Traditional reporting was a one-way traffic, journalists reported, wrote, spoke and did piece-to-cameras while the audiences, as ‘recipients’, only listened and watched as mute ‘spectators’. With social media and app-based news, readers comment, share, like, repost and even counter and question stories. Journalists can interact directly with their audience, read their comments, answer questions and clarify information, if needed. This interaction builds trust but also ensures that journalists are held accountable to their readers, as their comments in the public domain can lead to a loss of journalistic prestige and credibility both within the news organisation and outside it. This new ecosystem of simultaneous response from the audiences and readers mandates new skills, not only in reporting but also in engaging and moderating discussions in public spaces.

The global reach of mobile and social media journalism has revolutionised the very nature of news yet it should be best understood as a double-edged sword that must be wielded with some caution. Such unprecedented global reach, and now with AI added to it, creates echo chambers. Algorithms often show users content that matches their existing beliefs, limiting exposure to diverse perspectives. Journalists must make sure that they don’t end up reinforcing these echo chambers and big data lead algorithms but find creative ways to puncture these bubbles and present fair and balanced views.

Given the power, potential and reach of mobile and social media journalism and its ability to influence public opinion and political outcomes, journalists must find ways to uphold ethics even in this digital avalanche. Journalistic practice must evolve to address the challenges to ensure that the democratizing potential of these technologies are not lost under the usual pressures of being the first to break a story on the internet.

Without an iota of doubt and to conclude, mobile and social media journalism will continue to grow. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and interactive live features will make reporting more immersive.

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What next?

Skills Required to be a Good Journalism & Mass Communication

· Effective Communication Skills

· Strong Writing & Editing

· Clarity and Conciseness

· Research & Analytical Skills

· Good Vocabulary

· Digital & Technical Skills

· Good Vocabulary

Career Opportunities in Journalism & Mass Communication

· Journalist / Reporter