Journalistic Knowledge Research Articles

Global–Local Dynamics and Transformative Approaches in Climate Change Reporting in MENA: Insights from Tunisian Journalists

ABSTRACT In Tunisia, like other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, climate change (CC) is increasingly prompting a re-evaluation of journalism’s traditional gatekeeping role in favour of transformative, community-oriented approaches that promote climate justice, and foster greater awareness and engagement. This study qualitatively explores the perceptions and knowledge of Tunisian journalists (N = 7) covering CC, within a context of governmental uncertainty and dependence on international non-governmental organisations. Thematic analysis revealed three themes. First, the global–local nexus in CC reporting highlights the interconnectedness of global and local perspectives, revealing how transnational and global issues are contextualised within local frameworks. Second, the theme of solutions-oriented journalism in CC reporting emphasises a shift towards transformative storytelling, focusing on solutions rather than merely reporting problems. Finally, the theme of determinants of attention shaping CC reporting explores the various determinants of attention—such as circulation of disinformation, climate justice claims and youth activism—that dictate the reporting choices, approaches and level of attention CC receives in media coverage. The study calls for addressing these challenges and enhancing CC reporting practices. Further research using diverse methods is needed to explore how journalists frame CC across different contexts.

Attitude to Law as an Indicator of the Journalist’s Legal Culture (Based on the Materials of an Expert Survey)

The article discusses an important part of the professional culture of a journalist – legal culture, which is based on knowledge of legal norms and journalists’ attitude to the law, manifested in their lawful behavior and, in general, in the activities of modern Russian mass media. As part of the research project of the Department of Theory of Journalism and Mass Communications at St. Petersburg State University, Professional Ideology of Journalism, a pilot study of the normative-legal discourse of journalists’ professional culture was conducted. The empirical basis for the study was expert interviews with representatives of print media who have extensive experience in journalism, including the position of editor-in-chief. The purpose of the research is to reveal how sectoral legislation determines the content of journalists’ activities; how journalists feel about the Russian On the Mass Media law and the normative regulation of media activities in general; and, ultimately, how journalistic activities embody the three structural components of a journalist’s legal culture: 1) cognitive; 2) motivational-refl exive and 3) activity-practical. The results of the processing of expert interviews show that, in general, journalists have a respectful attitude toward industry-specifi c legislation and consider the current law On Mass Media to be a basic document regulating freedom of expression and many other issues of media activity. Although the freedom of speech, which was enshrined in the Russian law on mass media and later in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, has not become a tradition, a norm of life, creativity and professional culture of journalists. Keywords: law, legislation, legal culture, freedom of speech, journalist, expert survey

A data-centric approach for ethical and trustworthy AI in journalism

AI-driven journalism refers to various methods and tools for gathering, verifying, producing, and distributing news information. Their potential is to extend human capabilities and create new forms of augmented journalism. Although scholars agreed on the necessity to embed journalistic values in these systems to make AI systems accountable, less attention was paid to data quality, while the results’ accuracy and efficiency depend on high-quality data in any machine learning task. Assessing data quality in the context of AI-driven journalism requires a broader and interdisciplinary approach, relying on the challenges of data quality in machine learning and the ethical challenges of using machine learning in journalism. To better identify these, we propose a data quality assessment framework to support the collection and pre-processing stages in machine learning. It relies on three of the core principles of ethical journalism—accuracy, fairness, and transparency—and participates in the shift from model-centric to data-centric AI, by focusing on data quality to reduce reliance on large datasets with errors, making data labelling consistent, and better integrating journalistic knowledge.

Knowledge can wait? The epistemic conversion of new beat reporters

This study shows how, during the turbulent period of their initial months on the job, new beat reporters experience a shift in their basic approach to knowledge. This new epistemic approach encompasses two interconnected shifts: From seeing self-knowledge as a necessity to reliance on sources’ knowledge, and from prioritizing content knowledge to prioritizing journalistic knowledge. Findings suggest that reporting without knowledge isn’t a bug, but rather a major feature of news reporting; that at least during reporters’ first years, the main epistemic challenge is reporting despite the lack of beat knowledge; and that the foundations of source-reporter relations are laid down when the latter are at their weakest point in terms of power and knowledge, enabling sources’ to gain a dominant position in shaping the reported realities.

Changes in the Knowledge of Journalism Students Participating in the Climate Journalism Course on the Climate Crisis

The climate crisis, which scientists have been trying to explain to people with various warnings, is now showing results worldwide. Hurricanes, floods, droughts, extreme weather events, and the natural disasters that come with them are among the most significant problems. As a crucial tool, climate journalism is responsible for raising awareness about the climate crisis and providing information on ways to combat it. The significance of this role is underscored by the fact that as the level of knowledge of climate journalists on this issue increases, the knowledge of the public will increase. This study is about the climate journalism course in the education program of Erciyes University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism. The study, conducted using a pre-test and post-test design, examines the significant contribution of the climate journalism course to students' knowledge about the climate crisis. According to the study's findings, students' knowledge of the climate crisis increased after taking the course, and their concepts about the climate also varied. After taking the course, students could define the causes and consequences of the climate crisis more accurately. As students' knowledge increased, their concern about the climate crisis increased, highlighting the importance of climate journalism education in increasing public awareness and understanding.

Shifting job expectations in the era of generative AI hype – perspectives of journalists and copywriters

PurposeThis interview study examines Hungarian journalists' and copywriters' expectations of generative AI’s impact on their professions and factors influencing these views during a period of hype.Design/methodology/approachWhile acknowledging the specialized knowledge of journalists and copywriters relative to the general public, the study employs the sociology of expectations framework to interpret their anticipations not as objective forecasts of the future, but rather as phenomena shaped by diverse influences. The research comprises 30 semi-structured interviews conducted in spring 2023 to explore these expectations and their contributing factors.FindingsResults reveal ChatGPT’s media coverage as pivotal, encouraging the professionals interviewed to experiment with AI, reassess their roles, and cause a shift in their job expectations. At the same time, this shift was limited. Skepticism about hyperbolic media formulations, their own experiences with ChatGPT and projecting its constraints into the future, contextual factors, and optimism bias contributed to moderating their expectations. They perceived AI as an enhancer of efficiency and quality, not as a radical disruptor. Copywriters were more open to integrating AI in their work, than journalists.Research limitations/implicationsThe results underscore the importance of further research to explore subjective experiences associated with technological change, particularly considering their complex social, psychological, and cultural influences.Originality/valueThe study uniquely contributes to the sociology of expectations by highlighting how a complex interplay of factors can shape professionals' anticipation of the impact of AI on their careers, including optimism bias and media hype.

Trustable News from China? How Chinese Journalists Negotiate Epistemic Authority in Transnational Digital News Production

The adoption of social media platforms by news organizations invariably coincides with transformations in the production, expression, and acceptance of news as public knowledge claims. This study explores how a special subset of Chinese journalists—the foreign-aimed journalists—negotiate their epistemic authority while producing transnational news on foreign platforms. Drawing on 26 in-depth interviews, findings reveal four major tensions as Chinese journalists strive to negotiate authority among foreign audiences: reaffirming professional boundaries; navigating the management directives; maintaining a state messaging position; and understanding digital infrastructure. This study further contextualizes how, parallel to digital transformations, cultural transformations around journalistic knowledge claims are linked to historically and socially embedded priorities and constraints. The established conceptualizations of digital journalistic authority require expansion, as China’s case illuminates the complex interplay between technology, politics, media regulation, and individual agency in shaping the epistemic landscape of contemporary journalism.

Enhancing journalistic skills among teachers in Sleman Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership (PDM)

Writing proficiency demands continuous refinement to flourish. Consistent practice fosters an individual's writing skills. Various motivations drive writing, including enhancing an institution's popularity. Effective journalistic skills are crucial for public relations professionals to elevate an organization's public image. This community service initiative aimed to enhance the journalistic skills of teachers within the Sleman Muhammadiyah Regional Leadership (PDM) environment. The methodology employed involved journalistic training sessions. The training encompassed 67 participants and was conducted in the PDM Sleman meeting room, covering the fundamentals of journalism and effective writing strategies. The outcomes revealed a significant 58% improvement in journalistic knowledge among participants. This positive impact underscores the effectiveness of the training in enhancing participants' journalistic proficiency.

Linguistic Features and Structures in Newspaper Headlines of the ‘The Standard’ and ‘Daily Nation’ on Banditry, Kenya, 2023

This article aims to look into the linguistic features and structures used in The Standard and Daily Nation Newspaper Headlines on the subject, banditry and the possible implication that it has to the shaping of public perception, informing government responses and raising awareness about the challenges posed by banditry. The study adopted systemic functional linguistics framework, introduced by Michael Halliday in the 1960s. It also adopted analytical research design. Data collection involved the development of a coding sheet. A coding sheet was developed to guide the systematic categorization and analysis of linguistic features and structures present in the newspaper headlines. Content analysis was employed to examine the functions, themes and the rhetorical devices used in the headlines to portray banditry incidents. The data analysis procedure entailed a systematic analysis of the newspaper headlines, aiming to examine the ways they reflect the realities on reporting of banditry in the study regions. The findings revealed that there is a nuanced interplay of linguistic features that significantly shape the construction of public perception. The headlines employed vivid verbs, descriptive adjectives, and metaphors to convey the actions, attributes, and causes associated with banditry. Rhetorical questions, emotive language, personalization, and attributions to sources engaged readers emotionally and conveyed the stance of news sources. The recommendations from this study suggests that newspapers should use varied linguistic elements to offer readers with a more comprehensive knowledge of banditry, editors and journalists should also be creative and precise in their terminologies, use language appropriately when reporting difficult themes and the media should employ rhetorical questions and emotive language with caution. There should be a balance to ensure that emotions do not overpower accurate reporting.

The Contribution of Journalistic Knowledge to Students’ Skills in Writing News: A Study of Correlational Analysis

Journalistic knowledge serves as a robust underpinning upon which learners can refine and enhance their writing abilities, specifically in the domain of news composition. The multifaceted landscape of journalism incorporates a medley of elements that collectively contribute to the cultivation of effective writing skills. The mastery of these facets plays a pivotal role in augmenting students' proficiency in articulating their ideas cogently, engaging their audience adeptly, and ensuring the meticulous conveyance of information. Against this backdrop, the present study endeavors to explore the substantive role played by journalistic knowledge in improving students' skills in writing news. To attain the research aim, the researchers applied a correlational study to find out the correlation between journalistic knowledge and students’ skills in writing news. The participants of the study consisted of 51 students of Indonesian language and literary education at the University of PGRI Semarang. The sample was taken using a simple random sampling technique. The data were collected using tests. Based on the data analysis, there is a correlation between journalistic knowledge and students’ skills in writing news. It means that the components of journalistic knowledge such as understanding the fundamental news values such as timeliness, prominence, proximity, conflict, and human interest, have contributed to helping students in writing news.

Media Literacy: Smart in Making Islamic Content in Social Media in Sei Dadap District, Asahan District

The rapid development of media and communication technology requires audiences to have a number of knowledge and skills called media literacy, in order to use the media correctly. The main target is teenagers. Teenagers as active users of social media need to get attention in the use of social media. Teenagers are the age of self-discovery, high curiosity, and need various education that is used as a reference. But it is very unfortunate if a teenager abuses social media, accesses and consumes media content with various social activities from various Black Mail accounts that display pornographic content / posts, provocations, and many other things that are misused into adolescent consumption that is not appropriate for his age.To prevent these negative things, teenagers need to be equipped with journalistic knowledge so that they can create Islamic creative content as an adaptive step from the use of social media. This ability needs to be possessed by teenagers, especially teenagers from Sei Dadap District. The approach used is qualitative with a descriptive nature. The results showed that Media Literacy activities in Sei Dadap District had a positive impact so that teenagers were able to choose and choose good and true news. Then it is possible to create creative Islamic content on social media as an adaptive step from the use of social media. Creating creative Islamic content on social media is also a da'wah strategy that all social media users are capable of doing. The results of this study are expected to encourage further research in the form of elaboration of media literacy theories and concepts so that they can be translated into the Media Literacy Education curriculum. Â

Media Literacy: Smart in Making Islamic Content in Social Media in Sei Dadap District, Asahan District

The rapid development of media and communication technology requires audiences to have a number of knowledge and skills called media literacy, in order to use the media correctly. The main target is teenagers. Teenagers as active users of social media need to get attention in the use of social media. Teenagers are the age of self-discovery, high curiosity, and need various education that is used as a reference. But it is very unfortunate if a teenager abuses social media, accesses and consumes media content with various social activities from various Black Mail accounts that display pornographic content / posts, provocations, and many other things that are misused into adolescent consumption that is not appropriate for his age.To prevent these negative things, teenagers need to be equipped with journalistic knowledge so that they can create Islamic creative content as an adaptive step from the use of social media. This ability needs to be possessed by teenagers, especially teenagers from Sei Dadap District. The approach used is qualitative with a descriptive nature. The results showed that Media Literacy activities in Sei Dadap District had a positive impact so that teenagers were able to choose and choose good and true news. Then it is possible to create creative Islamic content on social media as an adaptive step from the use of social media. Creating creative Islamic content on social media is also a da'wah strategy that all social media users are capable of doing. The results of this study are expected to encourage further research in the form of elaboration of media literacy theories and concepts so that they can be translated into the Media Literacy Education curriculum.

Verification of Social Media Content for News Production: A Thematic Review of Journalistic Technique and Strategies

News organisations increasingly use social media content for breaking news, eyewitness accounts and user-generated videos. However, the veracity of such content is often questioned as social media platforms are prone to false reports, rumours and manipulation. This highlights the importance of journalists using robust verification techniques and strategies to ensure the accuracy and reliability of social media content in their reporting. However, prior research revealed no review papers discussing patterns of verification techniques and strategies journalists use on social media content for news production. This thematic review aims to synthesise literature from 2019 to 2023 on the journalist's strategies and techniques in verifying social media content for news production using a thematic review (TR). A list of keywords (journalistic techniques and strategies used in verifying social media content for news production) related to the scope of this research was identified. In the second step, the keyword was searched for studies in Scopus, Dimensions and Mendeley, and 31 papers were reviewed. A thematic review was carried out, where five final themes were identified: traditional techniques, combination strategies, technology and social media tools, computational tools and training, and media literacy. This study will benefit knowledge of journalists' verification social media techniques and strategies and future study of journalists' verification practices. Keywords: Journalists practices, verification, techniques & strategies, social media, news production.

QUALIFICATIONS AND BASIC COMPETENCIES ANALYSIS OF JAVANESE NEWS ANCHORS IN THE YOGYAWARTA PROGRAM AT TVRI YOGYAKARTA STATION

Yogyawarta is a daily news broadcast that covers events in the Yogyakarta region and its surroundings. Yogyawarta is presented by a news anchor wearing traditional Yogyakarta attire and is delivered in the Javanese language, specifically with the highest politeness level (<em>ragam krama inggil</em>), as a representation of the local culture. Naturally, the Yogyawarta news anchor must possess qualifications and basic skills as a good news presenter. This research aims to describe the analysis of the qualifications and basic skills of Javanese-speaking news anchors in Yogyawarta at TVRI Yogyakarta station. The research method used is qualitative-descriptive. The data source for the research consists of Yogyawarta news broadcast videos from the first week of April 2022. Data collection techniques involve observation and documentation. Data analysis is conducted through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The results of this research show that the Yogyawarta news anchors have met 11 qualifications for news anchors, including high intellect, strong personality, proficiency in news reading, credibility, journalistic knowledge and skills, clarity and clarity of voice, understanding and mastery of the medium, concern for listeners, attention to pronunciation, readiness for corrections, and preparedness for emergencies. Yogyawarta news anchors also possess two basic news anchor skills, which include vocal skills and personal skills. The dedication and professionalism of the presenters are demonstrated through their individual styles and abilities, supported by the use of traditional Javanese attire from Yogyakarta.

A move to the bright side? When journalism is invited into internal communication

PurposeJournalists moving into corporate communication have for many years been regarded as a move to the “dark side”. This paper turns the lens to explore how trained journalists working as internal communication practitioners due to their journalistic self-concept and skills can contribute to internal communication.Design/methodology/approachAn interview study was conducted with twelve trained journalists working with internal communication in different types of organizations. Three indicators of professionalism, namely autonomy, altruism and expert knowledge, were used as categories to structure the interviews and analysis.FindingsThe respondents perceived that their journalistic self-concept and skills helped them identify the employee perspective, write relevant stories and deliver them quickly. Furthermore, their courage and lack of fear of authorities enabled them to challenge decisions made by their senior managers, especially regarding how, what and when to communicate.Research limitations/implicationsThe three indicators of the journalist profession, – autonomy, altruism and journalistic knowledge and skills – may help establish internal communication that is relevant, transparent and trustworthy.Practical implicationsOrganizations may benefit from building their internal communication around the three indicators of the journalist profession. They could, for example, host independent internal media that present the employees’ perspective and maintain a critical attitude to the organization in a relevant and compelling manner.Originality/valueFew studies have explored the role of journalists working as internal communication practitioners and their contributions to internal communication.

Analysis of Mathematical Knowledge of Journalists in West Kalimantan Based on Journalistic Profile

This study aims to determine the basic mathematical knowledge of journalists in West Kalimantan. A total of 20 tests in the form of multiple-choice questions were given to 33 respondents to find out their basic knowledge of mathematics. All respondents worked as journalists in various media in West Kalimantan. The test results showed that 39.39 percent of respondents had low mathematical knowledge, 36.36 percent on medium criteria, 18.18 on high criteria, and 6.07 percent on very low criteria. The results of this test can be a baseline for improving the mathematical knowledge of journalists through various trainings or workshops. Mathematical knowledge is needed for journalists to increase credibility in news writing.

A Software Reference Architecture for Journalistic Knowledge Platforms

Newsrooms and journalists today rely on many different artificial-intelligence, big-data and knowledge-based systems to support efficient and high-quality journalism. However, making the different systems work together remains a challenge, calling for new unified journalistic knowledge platforms. A software reference architecture for journalistic knowledge platforms could help news organisations by capturing tried-and-tested best practices and providing a generic blueprint for how their IT infrastructure should evolve. To the best of our knowledge, no suitable architecture has been proposed in the literature. Therefore, this article proposes a software reference architecture for integrating artificial intelligence and knowledge bases to support journalists and newsrooms. The design of the proposed architecture is grounded on the research literature and on our experiences with developing a series of prototypes in collaboration with industry. Our aim is to make it easier for news organisations to evolve their existing independent systems for news production towards integrated knowledge platforms and to direct further research. Because journalists and newsrooms are early adopters of integrated knowledge platforms, our proposal can hopefully also inform architectures in other domains with similar needs.

Analysis of the Fundamentals of UINSU Communication Study Program Journalistic Training in Facing the Digital Age

The journalistic basis of communication is a concept that combines the basic principles of journalism with the elements of communication in the context of journalistic activity. This research aims to understand communication in playing a very important role in journalism. However, to produce a good writing must have the provision of journalistic knowledge. For this reason, training and mentoring writing in journalism communication is considered important to be carried out in order to produce quality speech. The main goals of communication journalism are to increase audience engagement, strengthen relationships between journalists and readers, and expand the reach and impact of news. In an increasingly complex and diverse information environment, communications journalism has become essential to ensure the news delivered can reach and be understood by a wide audience. This research uses qualitative research methods with a descriptive approach The research method used is a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques are carried out by observation, in-depth interviews by conducting interviews with journalists and direct observation of the work process in newspaper newsrooms, and documentation. The collected data was analyzed using content analysis and thematic analysis to identify communication strategies applied by journalists in the news process. From the results of the preparation of research concluded the basis of communication journalism, there are several important elements that need to be considered, namely important to understand the intended audience or reader. Journalists need to adopt appropriate communication strategies to effectively deliver news to them taking into account the preferences and needs of the audience Keywords: training, journalism, communication.

Enthusiasm and Alienation: How Implementing Automated Journalism Affects the Work Meaningfulness of Three Newsroom Groups

ABSTRACT Automated journalism is currently being implemented in newsrooms all over the world. This ethnographic case study of two Norwegian newsrooms explores how different newsroom groups relate to the innovation. Finding that editors and developers tend to applaud the possibilities of machine-written news while reporters are more critical, this study applies the concept of work meaningfulness to better understand the divergent reactions. The results show that key aspects making work meaningful—such as skill variety, self-development, autonomy, and sense of purpose—are influenced in severely different ways among the groups. As the investment in automated journalism has led to fewer editorial resources, reporters have experienced less room for in-depth reporting, few opportunities for extending skills, and little self-government. They also state that classical journalistic knowledge is no longer celebrated, while technical competence is perceived as essential. In contrast, the work meaningfulness of most editors and developers has increased. The paper concludes that all three newsroom groups hold a strong secular calling toward their work. It is therefore crucial that editors and media leaders acknowledge different groups’ work-related beliefs and purposes when implementing new technology. If not, the result can be a dramatic loss of work meaningfulness.

Journalistic knowledge production during a social crisis: How journalists claimed professional authority during the Chilean social uprising

In this paper we problematize protest coverage as an epistemological challenge for journalists, based on the case of the 2019 social uprising in Chile, in which the authority of professional journalists as narrators of events was questioned by audiences. The study aims at identifying the main dimensions of news production that become altered in an extended social crisis, as well as the main repertoires of practice and justifications deployed from the journalistic field to face them. The paper is based on the analysis of episodic narrative interviews ( n = 32), with journalists who participated in the coverage of the uprising in different capacities, in TV, radio, print and digital only media outlets. In our findings, we identify disruptions of epistemic consequence for news production during the coverage of the protests and riots, such as safety issues, and the relationship of journalists with space, time and the evidence recognized as appropriate for journalistic content, an issue that became particularly problematic around episodes of violence. We then identify four epistemic modes (approaches to knowledge-production) activated during the protests: detached narrator, conflict deflector, conflict mediator and involved narrator. These modes reveal differentiated responses to protest coverage inside professional journalism, which are in turn based on complementary claims of legitimacy for journalistic practice.