Journalism Research That Matters

It is now well-established that the long-time economic model on which the news industry has relied is no longer sustainable. Facebook, Google, and declining levels of popular trust in the media have been major contributors to this situation. Simultaneously, the closure of local media outlets across the country has left many areas without access to regional news, compounded the distance between media and publics, and further eroded civic engagement. Despite the looming crisis in journalism, a research-practice gap plagues the news industry. This book argues that an underappreciated factor in the news crisis is a potentially symbiotic relationship between journalism studies and the industry that it researches. As this book contends, scholars must think about their work in a public context, and journalists, too, need to listen to media scholars and take the research that they do seriously. Including contributions from journalists and academics, Journalism Research That Matters offers journalists a guide on what they need to know and journalism scholars a call to action for what kind of research they can do to best help the news industry reckon with disruption. The book looks at new research developments surrounding audience behavior, social networks, and journalism business models; the challenges that scholars face in making their research available to the public and to journalists; the financial survival of quality news and information; and blind spots in the way that researchers and journalists do their work, especially around race, diversity, and inequality. A final section includes contributions from journalists about how researchers can better engage on the ground with newsrooms and media professionals.

"Despite the looming crisis in journalism, a research-practice gap plagues the news industry. This volume seeks to change the research-practice gap, with timely scholarly research on the most pressing problems facing the news industry today translated for a non-specialist audience. Contributions from academics and journalists are brought together in order to push a conversation about how to do the kind of journalism research that matters, meaning research that changes journalism for the better for the public and helps make journalism more financially sustainable. The book covers important concerns such as the financial survival of quality news and information, how news audiences consume (or don't consume) journalism, and how issues such as race, inequality, and diversity must be addressed by journalists and researchers alike. The book addresses needed interventions in policy research, and provides a guide to understanding buzzwords like "news literacy," "data literacy," and "data scraping" that are more complicated than they might initially seem. Practitioners provide suggestions for working together with scholars- from focusing on product and human-centered design to understanding the different priorities that media professionals and scholars can have even when approaching collaborative projects. This book provides valuable insights for media professionals and scholars about news business models, audience research, misinformation, diversity and inclusivity, and news philanthropy. It offers journalists a guide on what they need to know and a call to action for what kind of research journalism scholars can do to best help the news industry reckon with disruption"--

Journalism Research in Practice: Perspectives on Change, Challenges, and Solutions is a unique collection of research on journalism written for journalists and wider audiences. Based on scholarship previously published in Journalism Practice, Journalism Studies, and Digital Journalism, authors have updated and rewritten their works to make connections to contemporary issues. These 28 studies include perspectives on modern-day freelancing, digitization, and partisan influences on the press. They appear in four distinct sections: • Addressing Journalism in Times of Social Conflict • Advancements in New Media and Audience Participation • Challenges and Solutions in a Changing Profession • Possibilities for Journalism and Social Change This book is a collection by leading scholars from the field of Journalism Studies who have revisited their previous work with the intent of asking more questions about how journalism looks, works, and is preparing for the future. From coverage on Donald Trump and alt-right media to media trust, verification, and social media, this volume is relevant for practicing journalists today who are planning for tomorrow, students learning about the field and its debates, and scholars and educators looking for approachable texts about complex issues.

Can we talk about the news media without proclaiming journalism either our savior or the source of all evil? It is not easy to do so, but it gets easier if we put the problems and prospects of journalism in historical and comparative perspective, view them with a sociological knowledge of how newsmaking operates, and see them in a political context that examines how political institutions shape news as well as how news shapes political attitudes and institutions. Adopting this approach, Michael Schudson examines news and news institutions in relation to democratic theory and practice, in relation to the economic crisis that affects so many news organizations today and in relation to recent discussions of “fake news.” In contrast to those who suggest that journalism has had its day, Schudson argues that journalism has become more important than ever for liberal democracies as the keystone institution in a web of accountability for a governmental system that invites public attention, public monitoring and public participation. For the public to be swayed from positions people have already staked out, and for government officials to respond to charges that they have behaved corruptly or unconstitutionally or simply rashly and unwisely, the source of information has to come from organizations that hold themselves to the highest standards of verification, fact-checking, and independent and original research, and that is exactly what professional journalism aspires to do. This timely and important defense of journalism will be of great value to anyone concerned about the future of news and of democracy.

This edited work brings together an elite team of contributors to create a comprehensive overview of journalism research and its different approaches, methods, and paradigms around the world.

Many ageing adults are motivated to undertake research projects in later life or even return to university after retirement. This book studies the effectiveness of collaborative research involving seniors.

Whether uncovering breaking stories, finding reliable background information, or finding the right contributors for stories and packages, there is now a wealth of information available to journalists online - but where to begin? In Search: Theory and Practice in Journalism Online, Murray Dick provides a practical and theoretical overview of the journalistic research potential in various online tools. Written by a leading expert in the field, the book offers experience-based guidance into online search for journalism. Key features: - Up-to-date coverage of advanced search, the 'invisible web', social media, multimedia and the verification of online material - A critical overview of theory in online ethics, verification, and use of social media in journalism online - Original research into search theory, privacy, trust and rights issues online - Student-friendly pedagogy based upon professional practice and informed by experts in online research Search: Theory and Practice in Journalism Online is essential reading for undergraduate students of digital journalism, online reporting and journalism studies.

This edited volume explores media management as engaged scholarship, building a bridge between theory and practice and discussing research collaboration between academia, policymakers and the media industry. In addition to advancing the scholarly discipline, it also questions, investigates and discusses the practical value of the research undertaken, showing how media management research can provide actionable, practice-relevant knowledge to decision makers throughout the media industry. The volume is broken into two parts: a section reflecting on the need for collaboration between research and practice, and a section overviewing specific projects that aim to deliver administrative value to stakeholders. The international research projects presented here span topics such as digital transformation, business models in news and digital journalism, media entrepreneurship and start-ups, ad-blocking, location-based services, audiovisual consumption preferences, the sustainability of small television markets, co-located and clustered industries and digital privacy. Incorporating under-used methodological approaches, such as action research and ethnography, Media Management Matters brings suggestions for how scholarship might be promoted outside academia. Simply put, this book aims to demonstrate why media management matters. Featuring an international roster of contributors, this collection is essential reading for scholars and practitioners of media management, business and policy.