New Journalism Ecologies in East and Southern Africa: Innovations, Participatory and Newsmaking Cultures
Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2023), xxiii, 319 pp.
Contains 13 illustrations, index
Series: Palgrave Studies in Journalism and the Global South
ISBN 978-3-031-23625-9 (ebook); 978-3-031-23624-2 (print)
"This volume presents case studies of news media employing and integrating social media into their news production practices. It links social media use to journalistic practices and news production processes in the digital age of the Global South. Critically, the chapters look at seminal cases of start-up news media whose content is informed by trends in social media, ethical considerations and participatory cultures spurred by the wide use of social media. There has been considerable research looking at the potential of new media technologies, traditional journalism and citizen reporting. The extent to which these new media technologies and 'citizen journalism' have morphed or reconfigured traditional journalism practice remains debatable. Currently, there are questions around the limits of social media in journalism practice as the ethical lines continue to become blurred. It is this conundrum of the role of social media in the reconfiguration of the media, news making, production and participatory cultures that requires more investigation. Social media has also turned the logic of the political economy of media production on its head as citizens can now produce, package and distribute news and information with shoestring budgets and in authoritarian regimes with no license of practice. This new political economy means the power that special interest groups used to enjoy is increasingly slipping from their hands as citizens take back the power to appropriate social media journalism to counter hegemonic narratives. Citizens can also perform journalistic roles of investigating and whistleblowing but with a lack off, or limited, regulation." (Publisher description)
1 Social Media Driven Journalism in Africa: Some Theoretical Perspectives / Shepherd Mpofu, Trust Matsilele, and Dumisani Moyo, 1
PART I: NEWSMAKING CULTURES AND DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATIONS
2 Mobile Digital Apps and News Production at NTV Uganda / Antonio Kisembo Elisha and Fred Kakooza, 17
3 Urban Commercial Radio and the Making of Apolitical Youth: Ethiopia in Focus / Abdissa Zerai, Getachew Dinku, and Desalegn Aynalem, 37
4 Social Media Applications and the Changing Newsroom Cultures in Africa: A Case Study of Lesotho / Trust Matsilele, Blessing Makwambeni, and Shakeman Mugar, 59
5 The Mediatisation and Media Practice of Citizen Media and GBV: A Case of etvScandal Soap Opera Facebook Page / Millie Phiri, 77
6 Online Harassment of Journalists in Zimbabwe: Experiences, Coping Strategies and Implications / Mphathisi Ndlovu and Nkosini Aubrey Khupe, 95
7 'Digital First' as a Coping Measure for Malawi's Print Newspapers / Albert Sharra, 113
8 Digital Newspapers as Watchdogs of Corruption in '2nd Republic' Zimbabwe: A Critical Analysis of ZimLive.com and Zim Morning Post's 'Covidgate' Reports / Mandlenkosi Mpofu, Lungile A. Tshuma, and Mbongeni J. Msimanga, 133
9 Migrating from Traditional to Online-Only News Delivery among Namibian Publications: An Assessment / Eno Akpabio, 153
PART II: SOCIAL MEDIA, FUNDING MODELS AND PARTICIPATORY CULTURES
10 Exploring the Attitude of Tanzanian Journalists to Citizen Journalism / Shekha Ally Hussein and Eno Akpabio, 165
11 Monitoring the Fourth Estate: A Critical Analysis of the Role of Audiences in Watchdogging Journalists / Shepherd Mpofu, 183
12 Financial Sustainability of Social Media-Driven Publications in Zambia: The Practices, Threats and Opportunities at New Diggers and Kalemba / Kamufisa Manchishi, Brian Pindayi, and Elastus Mambwe, 207
13 Prospects and Challenges for Indigenous African Language Media in the Digital Age / Gilbert Motsaathebe, 225
14 Diasporic Media and the Appropriation of Technologies: The Case of Nehanda Radio and Zimbabwean Politics / Trust Matsilele, Shepherd Mpofu, and Dumisani Moyo, 251
15 Reporting on Everyday Life: Practices and Experiences of Citizen Journalism in Mozambique / Dércio Tsandzana, 267
16 Misfiring Armoury in the Name of Citizen Journalism: Reliability of Xenophobia Reportage Through Social Media / Khatija BiBI Khan, 289
PART I: NEWSMAKING CULTURES AND DIGITAL MEDIA INNOVATIONS
2 Mobile Digital Apps and News Production at NTV Uganda / Antonio Kisembo Elisha and Fred Kakooza, 17
3 Urban Commercial Radio and the Making of Apolitical Youth: Ethiopia in Focus / Abdissa Zerai, Getachew Dinku, and Desalegn Aynalem, 37
4 Social Media Applications and the Changing Newsroom Cultures in Africa: A Case Study of Lesotho / Trust Matsilele, Blessing Makwambeni, and Shakeman Mugar, 59
5 The Mediatisation and Media Practice of Citizen Media and GBV: A Case of etvScandal Soap Opera Facebook Page / Millie Phiri, 77
6 Online Harassment of Journalists in Zimbabwe: Experiences, Coping Strategies and Implications / Mphathisi Ndlovu and Nkosini Aubrey Khupe, 95
7 'Digital First' as a Coping Measure for Malawi's Print Newspapers / Albert Sharra, 113
8 Digital Newspapers as Watchdogs of Corruption in '2nd Republic' Zimbabwe: A Critical Analysis of ZimLive.com and Zim Morning Post's 'Covidgate' Reports / Mandlenkosi Mpofu, Lungile A. Tshuma, and Mbongeni J. Msimanga, 133
9 Migrating from Traditional to Online-Only News Delivery among Namibian Publications: An Assessment / Eno Akpabio, 153
PART II: SOCIAL MEDIA, FUNDING MODELS AND PARTICIPATORY CULTURES
10 Exploring the Attitude of Tanzanian Journalists to Citizen Journalism / Shekha Ally Hussein and Eno Akpabio, 165
11 Monitoring the Fourth Estate: A Critical Analysis of the Role of Audiences in Watchdogging Journalists / Shepherd Mpofu, 183
12 Financial Sustainability of Social Media-Driven Publications in Zambia: The Practices, Threats and Opportunities at New Diggers and Kalemba / Kamufisa Manchishi, Brian Pindayi, and Elastus Mambwe, 207
13 Prospects and Challenges for Indigenous African Language Media in the Digital Age / Gilbert Motsaathebe, 225
14 Diasporic Media and the Appropriation of Technologies: The Case of Nehanda Radio and Zimbabwean Politics / Trust Matsilele, Shepherd Mpofu, and Dumisani Moyo, 251
15 Reporting on Everyday Life: Practices and Experiences of Citizen Journalism in Mozambique / Dércio Tsandzana, 267
16 Misfiring Armoury in the Name of Citizen Journalism: Reliability of Xenophobia Reportage Through Social Media / Khatija BiBI Khan, 289
