Networked Journalism Section Two

Panel Topic: How are connective media platforms influencing the news and our news habits?

Key Points

• ·      Connective media is about redefining media, and is broader than social media.

o   Social media can be included when discussing connective media

o   Involves the technological, sociological, and entrepreneurial aspects of creating new media platforms

•        Facebook debuting in 2004, YouTube in 2005, and Twitter in 2006 gave users the ability to connect, or make connections
•      Each of these platforms allows for one to change and morph their own information and the way that it is received
• ·      “Many news organizations have shifted their personalization services based on topics of interest to social network platforms organized around people.” (Russell 79)
• ·      “Twitter has become a staple tool for journalists, who use it not just to report and repost their stories, but also to break stories and disseminate pieces for immediate discussion.” (Russell 81)
• ·      People are enabled to hear what they want to hear
• ·      Social Media allows for information to be made accessible on the go, and instantly
• ·      There is a question of authenticity of information being passed—is it accurate?
• ·      The power of relationships has changed and been reshaped
• ·      “This new connective media system has reshaped the power relationships between platform owners and users, not only in terms of who may steer information but also who controls the vast amount of user data that rushes through the combined platforms every day.” (Van Dijck)
• ·      “Connective Media is changing the way that we behave as a society: the way we act, the way we get information, the way we diffuse information, the way we shape our views and our culture.” (Naaman)

o   Everything about media is changing as a result of this convergence of information through connectivity

Question

• ·      In what ways can social media be harmful to news and journalism?
• ·      Would you consider a site that is a communication tool or an information tool, such as Facebook, to be media?

References

Van Dijck, José. "Social Media and the Culture of Connectivity | OUPblog." OUPblog Social

Media and the Culture of Connectivity Comments. N.p., 25 Feb. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.

Russell, Adrienne. Networked: A Contemporary History of News in Transition. Cambridge, UK:

Polity, 2011. Print.

"Q & A: Mor Naaman." Cornell Tech. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2016.