Network Journalism: Moving Towards a Global Journalism Culture

Ansgard Heinrich

Department of Media, Film and Communication, University of Otago, New Zealand; School of Culture & Communication, University of Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

Today’s globalized network communication shapes new interactive formats, relevant not only for the dissemination, but – increasingly – for the production of news. The ‘one-way’ flow of news from a news outlet to the audience has been replaced by a network structure. Following Manuel Castells’ concept of the ‘Network’ (1996; 2001) as the central model of information structures in our 21st century Information Age, I argue in this paper that networks transform the professional journalism sphere in many world regions in quite similar ways and create new forms of journalistic practice. A globalized journalistic network sphere is taking shape which involves mainstream journalistic outlets and bloggers, independently operating journalists in various corners of the world and so-called “user-generated content”-providers alike.

Within this sphere, an increasingly global flow of news is evolving which can be characterized by a new form of connectivity which establishes new (and continuous!) links between journalists, their sources as well as their audiences. I discuss the strategic and organizational implications of these transformation processes for the management of broadcast news outlets and analyze how Public Service Broadcasters are being challenged through these new journalistic ‘network’ practices, as the roles of journalists in this revised news sphere change.

Based on key results of a comparative study of news organizations such as the world’s leading Public Service Broadcaster BBC in the UK and the peer-to-peer news and information network Current in the United States, this paper addresses parameters of new network models in news organizations and proposes ideas for a repositioning of Public Service Media platforms in this new journalistic sphere. I argue that PSB outlets can be repositioned as ‘supernodes’ within an evolving globalized network journalism culture that is characterized by ‘interactive’ practices of newsgathering, production and dissemination.

Paper not available.