Charting the liquidity of online news.

Karlsoon, M. (2012). Charting the liquidity of online news. The International communication gazette,

74(4), 385-402.

導讀者:區國強

原作摘要:

     諸如液態(liquid)、動態(dynamic)與流動(fluid)新聞等名詞,已早被用作描述與強調當代線上新聞(online news)的不斷變換、使用者影響,與跨邊界特色(ever-changing, user-influenced and border-crossing)。但是,儘管這些用語經常被用,它們究竟實際上所指涉的對象,卻仍未被具體指出,也沒有任何研究曾要找出一個方式去衡量與分析。因此,本研究作為一個初探性研究,將三個層面的目標嘗試探討液態新聞,取得更清楚的理解;本文亦提出可經驗性探討與測量線上液態新聞之方法。

關鍵⫿:Content analysis, hyperlinks, immediacy, liquid news, method, multimedia, user participation

重點整理:

前言

        線上新聞或新聞數位化已經發展超過10年,但「線上新聞」(online news)這詞語仍描述出線上與傳統新聞之間的不同。過往的一些經驗研究提出了一些線上新聞其實未如人們所以為的「互動」、「多媒體敘事」,並缺乏超連結。所謂線上新聞似乎只是線上的「報紙」。不過,近年些研究也開始發現,媒體開始加以運用數位媒介的特色。

     雖然大家都提出,線上新聞與傳統類比(analogue)新聞不同,但不同在哪裡,卻尚未有完整說法。Deuze(2008)提出線上新聞的液態特色、Pavlik(2001)則以動態形容,Singer (2008)等就用流動,Matheson(2004)的描述則是知識作為過程(knowledge-as-process) 。不過,以上各種說法都指出了新聞作為一個無法預測的持續過程的現象。但,這現象究竟具體為何,卻也沒有被進一步地清楚和一致地說明。此外,也缺乏相關的經驗性研究。

     准此,本研究將從三方面探討:一、就以本研究所研究的對象,更清楚地說明液態新聞;二、提出一種測量線上新聞「液態性」(liquidity)之方式;三、經驗地測試該測量方式。

何謂線上新聞的液態性

       液態新聞究竟意涵為何,至今仍未有準確說法,也缺少經驗性研究。有的研究者會把新聞液態性聚焦於媒介的互動性與參與性上。Engebrektsen(2006)提出新聞的液態新聞為「使用者控制、動態,與對話形式的新聞學」。Lowrey(2006) 則比較線上媒體與傳統媒體,認為前者提供了訊息流動性與可被評論之機緣。Singer(2006)認為線上新聞是「公開、參與性、流動的媒介」。Deuze預測新聞內容將越來越受使用者與產製者之間的互動所決定。總之,這些說法都注意了互動性(一般來說,被指為使用者可參與到新聞產製之中)作為新聞液態性的重要元素。

       另一些研究則從線上新聞的即時性面向論述了新聞液態性。Deuze(2008)稱之為「持續的編輯」(continuous edits),或稱新聞內容必須更液態與流動才能應付當今使用者對即時(in real time)接收新聞之期望。Tremayne(2007)則把即時性與多媒體敘事一起進行討論,認為這包括鳥新聞表達的動態性、不斷變化,例如新聞內容可被增加或刪減、頭條可以更換、可加上或更改照片,以及其他多媒體素材等。總之,以即時性論述液態性有一個核心:線上新聞是持續並無法預測地不斷變換,創造了飄忽不定的資訊流。Deuze(2008)非常強調多媒體形式(multimodality)與液態性之間的關係,這讓文⫿、聲音、動態影像、靜態影像、地圖,與圖像都能展現在同一種媒介之中,因此打破了過往不同媒體之間的邊界。

        超連結(Hyperlink)也被認為構成新聞液態性的另一個重要元素。Matheson(2004)描述,以往的新聞報導為「知識作為產品」(knowledge-as-product),線上新聞則為「知識作為過程」;傳統新聞是把事情固定下來(pinning down),線上新聞則是連結的新聞學。Singer說,透過即時的超連結與使用者參與,記者所報導的新聞故事內容只成為了流動、不間斷、參與式、相互連結的新聞媒體世界之一部分;新聞故事之持續展開(ongoing developing)已經是集體並無法控制的過程。也因此,超連結讓使用者能無限可能地、自由地瀏覽,儘管可能仍還在某種架構之中(例如,從一個新聞到另一則新聞,一個網站連到另外一個網站),但總是打破了不同原本是分割的事物之間的關係。

        因此,總結來說,液態新聞可被描述為飄忽不定(erratic)、持續不斷、參與式、多媒材,以及相互連結的過程;在此過程中,內容根據新聞的原則(journalistic principles)被產製。與傳統新聞產製相比,液態新聞在發行的節奏上是相對沒有計畫,也難以預測的。

測量線上新聞的液態性

        許多研究提出液態新聞之概念,但卻很少有人把它轉為具體研究新聞內容之變項。本文認為,這其中牽涉到許多既有文獻並沒有以方法論之角度,把液態新聞視為「多元素交集之過程」(multi-component process)。過往研究大多在某特定時間點上描述、測量液態新聞的各種特色(例如,突發新聞即時頭條banners),但卻沒有針對內容之演化與發展(包括超連結與多媒體等之角色)進行探討。就算提到了參與性之特色,不過也只是使用者角度去描述,

並未提及參與性對新聞內容所造成的影響。此外,可以說幾乎沒有任何經驗研究曾檢視液態新聞的不同元素如何在(區:動態的、持續的)新聞故事的發展中發揮影響。

提出可被用作檢視新聞液態性的變項

        因此,對本文來說,液態新聞不是一個產品,而是過程;若要進行內容分析,就必須包含不同時間點上對內容文本之分析。

        所以,本文將對新聞網站發佈的新聞之不同版本(version)進行分析,而這也是本文所提出的第一個變項。新聞網站的線上新聞往往不是一次完成,而是分成許多片段的,而檢視此變項將可幫助我們確認液態新聞是否真的已經⬀在,或新聞網站仍是以傳統方式、節奏發佈新聞。有人可能提出,不同版本除了事不同時間發布新內容外,也包括是否加上了評論或民調;但對本文來說,我們所指的版本指真正被生產的新聞內容。

        Kovach等(2001)提出,新聞(Journalism)的目標是要訴說比其他傳播形式更「多」的真理(telling the truth more than other forms of communication)。錯的或不準確的新聞就因此對新聞可信度造成很大影響。這以液態新聞之即時性特色來看,可能更是問題:許多人提出由於時效(speed)與準確性(accuracy)並不相容,但在線上新聞中,則可以不引人注意地對新聞內容進行重寫或刪改錯誤。因此,準確性與即時性之間的關係,將成為本研究的第二個

變項。不過,要辨別是否為準確性出錯也不是容易的事;例如,線上新聞往往先以摘要形式

呈現,再逐漸增加新聞內容,而這並不能視為新聞準確性有誤(區:所以,更改不一定等於

錯!)。但是,我們可以透過測量什麼新聞內容之重要元素在不同時間中被改變而找出那些

        不只一個版本的新聞內容是否有新聞準確性問題。為此目的,本文採用了新聞學的基本問題 — 5W1H — 來作為觀察新聞版本時之分析元素。若這些元素在不同版本中不斷被修改,就可能反映出該新聞⬀在準確性問題。

        另外一個液態新聞的特色為互動性。進一步說,尤指使用者能參與到新聞產製中。參與性將作為本研究第三個變項,以觀察新聞網站是否有鼓勵使用者共同產製新聞。

       不過,參與有多種方式。除了讓使用者參與到新聞內容產製外,對已發布的新聞表達意見也可被視為參與。而由於數位新聞的可重塑性(reprogrammable),以及新聞機構可能考量法律等問題,因此我們也將檢視不同時間中新聞網站是否會增加或刪除使用者之評論;這些作法雖然沒有影響新聞內容本身,但卻是有關測量該新聞網站是否讓使用者參與或協力之變項。

    Deuze(2003)與Hall(2001)提出,線上新聞經常是由不同草稿(draft)所構成,因

此,我們可猜想許多新聞故事的第一版本往往只是一、兩句話的草稿;而隨著時間,這些草稿的內容會增加,包括添加了照片、影像,與超連結等。因此,本研究的最後一個變項就是要測量新聞網站是否加上多媒體內容與超連結。

        所以,本文按照液態新聞之四個面向整理出八種用以測量的變項:

面向一:即時性

(變項:1. 版本數、2. 更改數、3. 更改原因)

面向二:互動性

(變項:4. 使用者參與產製 5. 使用者評論 6. 新聞網站是否公布/刪減使用者評論內容)

面向三:多媒材性

(變項:7. 多媒材)

面向四:超連結

(變項: 8. 超連結)

研究背景與研究方法

       本研究以瑞典四個新聞網站為研究對象(atftonbladet.se, expressen.se, dn.se, 與 SvD.se)。

瑞典是北歐中最早嘗試與採用網際網路之國家,網路使用率高,也有大型的本地新聞市場。

而且,瑞典的新聞製作者與西費者也有一定程度的科技經驗(technological experience),相信新聞新聞的液態特質會比其他國家有更影響。總之,瑞典是一個好的測試對象。與傳統內容分析的新聞文本相比,液態新聞持續變動,飄忽不定,該如何研究?該以什麼單位為對象?Shoemoker與Vos(2009)提出,單則新聞(news item)應被視為新聞產製的標準單位(standard unit),同時也是有關新聞守門過程的重要部分。儘管在線上新聞中,單則新聞之內容可能會有更改,但仍可以作為一個好的分析起點。因此,本文也將針對四個新聞網站中從2008年10月至12月共15則單則新聞進行詳細分析。

       液態新聞也是持續的過程,為了檢視其發展,本研究以WinHTTrack、螢幕翻攝工具抓取新聞內容,時間間隔則為每10分鐘一次。本研究將持續抓取內容,直到該內容已經三個小時沒有再被更新。此外,本研究也在當天17:00與23:00,以及隔天09:00再次確認,新聞內容是否有所更改。

       本為也選取頭版的新聞內容(top stories on the front pages)作為分析單位;因為頭版是新聞機構擺放最重要新聞的地方,並且也是最能被持續檢視其更新狀態的地方。我們將以八個變項來檢視蒐集到的內容。

        最後,線上新聞往往不只有一層(layer),本研究也將針對第二層的新聞內容進行檢視。

研究發現

        從資料中可以發現,大多新聞都有一個以上的版本,某種程度上反映了線上新聞的液態特性。

        資料中的四個新聞網站也有不同程度的準確性情形,但沒有任何一個網站有告知其使用者他們是以何種方式進行新聞敘事(區:應指新聞網站內容有改,但沒有「主動」告知讀者新聞有修改,也沒有提出修改原因)。

       四個網站中有不同程度的使用者參與。其中三個鼓勵使用者提供新聞事件的照片、影片或資訊。四個網站都看見了使用者參與情形(區:其證據應是新聞中除了有鼓勵讀者提供資料,也真的在新聞中包含了讀者提供的資料),確認了過往研究對於線上新聞中使用者參與的面向,但是從本資料集中,我們也發現使用者參與往往不是在「第一層」(first surface)的新聞中出現。這反映出新聞記者仍是開啟/發動(initiate)新聞報導的人,而網站再邀請使用者參與到報導之中。(區:其對應的應是由讀者發動的新聞)

        在不同時間有不同的參與方式,包括民調、討論、評論,與部落格連結(也就是在新聞中提供連結到另一部落格內容)。但我們也發現了新聞網站出現一些移除使用者參與內容之情形。在科隆(Cologne)飛機事件與Rodeby司法調查事件中,aftonbladet.se與DN.se網站就沒有提供(區:原本應有提供)的使用者貼文或評論,讓使用者無法參與,但都沒有說明移除使用者參與之原因。從這我們可以推估,當新聞網站認為不恰當時,會移除使用者參與之機會,這也造成了使用者參與並非在線上新聞之生命週期(life cycle)的開始或結尾中發生,而是在中間階段。

        資料集中也看到了新聞網站與公眾使用者協力報導之狀況。例如,Expressen.se發佈了一張使用者提供的命案現場照片;Aftonbladet直接用了讀者評論作為一則關於1500個工人被解雇的新聞之頭條標題。在此可以看到使用者參與是有多種不同方式的。

        透過觀察這三個變項(使用者參與產製、使用者評論、新聞網站是否公布/刪減使用者評論內容),我們可以看到使用者參與會在不同時間點上發生,但主要來說,雖然新聞網站也有尋求使用者在產製過程中協力報導,不過大多是由新聞網站提供內容,再由讀者去評論。

       資料集中也看到一次新聞網站加上或移除使用者提供的影像之行。在有關Rodeby的司法案件中,DN.se曾加了一張有關命案現場的照片,但在後來的版本中卻移除了。相比之下,資料集中的新聞網站則沒有移除過任何其他多媒材內容,包括互動圖表、地圖、聲音內容等。

        另外,我們發現大多網站的新聞內容有超連結,並且未曾出現刪除既有超連結的情形。

三個液態新聞之例子

        以下將舉中一些資料中反映出液態性的例子。在Expressen.se有關西班牙Malaga爆炸案的

新聞中。報導首先先提到Malaga有兩起「爆炸」,但卻沒有進一步資訊。這新聞當時發布的地方旁邊,是突擊隊進攻(storming) Cologne機場阻止恐怖攻擊的新聞;也因此Malaga 的爆炸也被連結(associating)為是恐怖攻擊。不過,30分鐘後,這新聞從「爆炸」變成了發生「巨響聲」(bangs);這可能是由於要和Cologne新聞進行區隔。Malaga新聞的第二版本少了恐怖攻擊的符號(signs)。一個小時後,該新聞網站把新聞從首頁中移除。

        這例子反映出不同新聞版本中,會出現What與Why的新聞準確性問題。新聞網站即時報導過程中扭曲(tweak)了新聞故事,這反映了液態新聞的即時性面向。值得注意的是,網站製作人並未讓讀者注意到其報導曾經被扭曲/曾經誤報了新聞。

        另一個同樣是Expressen.se的例子,關於一名女性兇殺案。新聞網站鼓勵讀者參與,提供資訊,並也發布了一張讀者提供有關兇案現場的照片。這種向讀者尋求資訊的行為,在本研究的資料中是蠻常見的,並反映出新聞液態性的參與性特色。

        在Aftonbladet.se有關Sandvik企業資遣1000名員工的新聞報導中(時間~2008/11/20 0900-2300 ),我們則可以看到液態新聞如何逐漸擴增的樣貌,包括超連結、照片、民調,與讀者評論之增加,以及新聞報導經常一開始只有一、兩句話,到逐漸(在不同頁面層中)加上、刪減或修改各種新的液態新聞元素。在此案例中,除了精確性問題外,其他七種變項都有出現。這反映出液態新聞作為不斷發布的過程之樣貌;在這過程中,讀者也扮演了協力角色。

結論

本文指出了八個液態新聞的變項,並也展示了液態新聞之內容會持續變化。總之,新聞液態性並非只是理論而已,也是實作中出現,可被驗證的事情。對新聞研究來說,液態性更挑戰了我們過往對於出版(published)之本質的理解。

        本文也為液態新聞的經驗研究踏出開始的一步,提供了方法上的工具,包括提出檢視什麼情形下讀者貢獻的內容會被刪減。理論上,液態新聞是永不完成(never finished)也可不斷變動。但事實上,似乎並非如此(區:應指某時間點後,新聞其實不會再有新版本)。本研究幫助尋找液態新聞的生命週期,包括他們被建構的時間長度。透過研究,我們可以發現新聞內容的生產過程有不同階段,而不同的液態元素會參與其中。另外,本文也認為,探討液態新聞的準確性與新聞機構的更新策略(corrective policies)之範圍是可以做到的事情。未來研究方向將還包括檢視其他變項,包括內容來源之更改、持續變化的「作者身份」(authorship)、新聞機構在更新新聞過程之透明度、與其他資訊之連結(例如,Youtube),以及液態新聞過程中新聞報導的框架與再框架活動。

       另外,本文主要針對突發新聞進行研究,未來也應探討其他類型的新聞。技術上,也包括如何改善撈取資料的時間區隔(目前10分鐘撈取一次)來讓我們看到更完整的液態新聞之生命週期。此外,發展量化液態新聞之方法也是必須的,因為這可幫助我們超越僅是個案研究,擴大資料對象。

       本文以瑞典作為探討對象,目前尚不能有概化之結論(區:可推論到其他地區媒體之液態樣貌);因此未來也有必須進行地區之間的比較性研究。

        本研究以新聞內容之生產層面探討線上環境,強調了讀者參與,隱含了讀者對新聞內容、新聞記者,以及其他新聞讀者之影響 ,但卻可能成為我們進一步理解何謂液態新聞之障礙。因為本文分析主要仍是以大眾媒體中心為角度、包括有計畫的新聞配送、可清楚分割的內容類別、記者為中心的內容產製模式,以及可預測的媒材使用等等(區:作者應指目前研究角度仍以大眾媒體為分析之重點角度,並未以其他方式,例如讀者角度作為出發點進行研究)。

       本文分析液態新聞時,也並未液態之影響進行分析,例如它對新聞可信度、記者角色與規範,以及新聞編輯之影響。這些影響都是未來研究、新聞記者,以及社會將面臨的挑戰。

延伸閱讀:

華婉伶、臧國仁。〈液態新聞:新一代記者與當前媒介境況 — 以Zygmunt Bauman「液態現

代性」概念為理論基礎〉,「2010中華傳播學會研討會」,台灣嘉義。

摘要

        本研究旨在以社會學家 Zygmunt Bauman 的「液態現代性」概念為理論基礎, 討論新聞工作本質在社會「液化」過程中有何轉變,並探究當前未曾經歷台灣新 聞產業蓬勃、初入行即面臨新聞價值、專業與勞動條件不穩定狀態的新一代記 者,如何看待新聞工作及其自身角色意涵。Bauman 指出,當前社會在由固態現代性過渡至液態現代性過程中具「時空 關係轉變」、「資本與勞動力分離」、「生產者社會轉向者消費社會」及「權力 運作方式改變」等特質。本研究循此

       討論新聞工作之本質於「時間與速度」、「傳 受雙方關係」、「工作穩定性」及「媒體組織角色」等面向的轉變,並以敘事探 究之方式蒐集新一代記者的工作故事,分析其對新聞工作及自身角色的認知。

研究結果發現,當前新聞工作深陷伴隨媒體科技而來的速度競賽中,使報導 債向快速淺薄,記者個人工作成果亦難以累積。而由於媒體組織內未能提供穩定 薪資成長或以裁員及短期約聘為營運手段,促成當前新聞工作的高流動性與低穩 定性。且當前媒體組織與新聞記者之權威地位常賴閱聽人/消費者之觀看與評價 而確立,使新一代記者改視新聞工作為提供資訊之「服務業」。

        此種媒介境況影響著新一代記者對自身角色的認知:工作不穩定使其頇時時 關注自身表現能否被組織看見並達成期待,凸顯其為「組織中之工作者」;當其 應組織要求執行業配等額外工作時,又頇「兼具記者、廣告與業務之角色」;在 組織頻以商業利益主導人事策略之際,則迫使其屢「以商業價格衡量自身價值」, 認為「便宜又好用」是其未被裁員或受聘雇之緣由,無法感受自身的不可替代性。

但另一方面,當前媒體境況中的新一代記者亦「期待改變並尋求突破」,希 冀藉由接觸新的人事物刺激思維且提升能力,並於固有工作中尋找突破之可能; 而於媒體環境及記者社會地位不佳之際,他們仍「對自身表現充滿期許」,認為 頇每日拿出成績、努力獲得挖角加薪之機會與他人肯定;新一代記者亦認為新聞 工作「具影響力與個人意義」,個人的興趣與工作成尌感是其繼續工作之動力。

       綜上所述,液態現代性社會中的速度競賽、勞資分離、消費者社會以及對輕 盈流動與彈性靈活的追求顯皆促使整體媒介境況變遷,改變新一代記者與新聞工 作、媒體組織及閱聽人/消費者間之關係。而新一代記者對自身角色的理解一方 面受媒體組織內的工作形態與工作穩定性之影響,另方面則反映其在具流動靈活 的液態現代性社會中猶能積極工作的心境。

關鍵字:液態現代性、新聞工作、記者、媒介境況、敘事探究

Saltzis, K. (2012). Breaking news online: How news stories are updated and maintained around the-

the-clock. Journalism practice, 6:5-6, 702-710.

This article examines the consequences of ‘‘around-the-clock’’ news cycles online for the product ofnews. It argues that as a result of increased emphasis on continuous deadlines, the ‘‘news story’’ is diversified into a fluid, always updated/corrected product challenging existing notions of news as a set piece of work. In this context, ‘‘time’’ becomes an even more important factor for news production and blurs further pre-existing news formats. The ‘‘continuously updated news story’’ can change many times during the day and challenges the idea of news as the finished product of journalistic work. This research studies six UK news websites and monitors how specific news stories are broken and updated during the course of a day. It specifically focuses on the frequency of updates, the amount and type of information added as well as their sources in order to investigate patterns of news updating in each organisation. The patterns of news updating that emerge suggest that we need to rethink the ‘‘news story’’ as a fixed entity which has been associated with the distinct news cycles of traditional media. Although the daily cyclesare not completely abolished, the news stories are rarely finalised.

KEYWORDS ：breaking news; immediacy; news cycles; online websites; updates

Karlsson, M. & Stromback, J. (2010). Freezing the flow of online news. Journalism Studies, 11(2),2-19. https://jesperstromback.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/journalism-studies-2010.pdf

According to previous research, two characteristics of online news as opposed to traditional news are interactivity and immediacy. However, most research in this area has focused on the news site-level of analysis, and there are only a few studies on how interactivity and immediacy affect online news on the news story-level of analysis. The main reason for this appears to be that the very nature of online news makes observation by traditional research methods, such as quantitative content analysis, problematic.

Against this background, the overall purpose of this paper is to explore methodological approaches for the study of interactivity and immediacy on the news story-level of online news. The paper develops a three-pronged strategy for freezing the flow of online news to enable systematic content analyses of interactivity and immediacy, and tests this strategy in a comparative analysis of the online news sites Guardian.co.uk in Britain and Aftonbladet.se in Sweden.

Hille, S. & Bakker, P. (2013). I like news. Searching for the ‘Holy Grail’of social media: The use of

Facebook by dutch news media and their audiences. European journalism of communication,28(6), 663-680.

News media are increasingly using Facebook as a platform for distribution and user interaction. This article focuses on how Dutch media use Facebook and how audiences participate. By using Facebook, media outsource part of their distribution to a third party platform, avoiding maintenance costs while also hoping for additional revenues because of the increased website traffic. Results indicate that offline and online presence of legacy media do not predict their footprint on Facebook. Media do not seem to have a  clear strategy on using Facebook, which leads to an underperformance on the social media platform with low participation and minimal interaction. As users ‘like’ media and ‘share’ stories, ‘audience distribution’ would be a better term to describe these practices than ‘audience participation’.

Gaskins, B. & Jerit, J. (2012). Internet news: Is it a replacement for traditional media outlets?. The international journal of press politics, 17(2), 190-213.

The Internet has changed the political world, but its effect on media usage patterns is not well understood. In particular, previous research suggests no clear answer to the question of whether the Internet is a substitute for or a complement to traditional media outlets.We contribute to this literature by applying theories from ecology— namely, the theory of the niche—to examine competition between new and older media. Our study is the first to test hypotheses derived from this theory on a large, national sample.The analysis indicates that people are replacing traditional outlets, especially newspapers, with the Internet.At the same time, however, replacement is not a widespread phenomenon as yet.We find important replacement differences across newspapers and radio on the one hand and television on the other.We also report some of the first evidence regarding the attitudinal consequences of replacement behavior.

Keywords : Internet, media use, niche theory

Tandoc Jr, E. C. (2014). Journalism is twerking? How web analytics is changing the process of gatekeeping. New media & society, 16(4), 559-575.

New communication technologies have allowed not only new ways in which the audience interacts with the news but also new ways in which journalists can monitor online audience behavior. Through new audience information systems, such as web analytics, the influence of the audience on the news construction process is increasing. This occurs as the journalistic field tries to survive a shrinking audience for news. In this study, I argue that how journalists conceive of the audience as a form of capital influences the extent to which journalists integrate audience feedback from web analytics in their news work. I developed this theoretical framework through case studies of three online newsrooms that included a total of 150 hours of observations and 30 respondent interviews. The findings showed the extent of influence of web analytics on traditional gatekeeping processes and on a new gatekeeping practice online, which I call the process of de-selection.

Keywords : Audience, case study, field theory, gatekeeping, journalism, journalists, online news,

twerking, web analytics Gatekeeping explains how news gets selected (Shoemaker and Vos, 2009), but the pressure to keep the homepage updated to attract constant traffic is making the process of de-selection equally important. De- selection refers to deciding which among articles that have made it through the gates will be taken out of the homepage to be replaced by a new story. This process is largely determined by audience metrics. A dip on website traffic signals a need to replace elements on the homepage. An editor from the second newsroom even specified a particular window of time he gives a story. If it does not perform well within 20 min- utes, the story will be replaced. This is motivated by the pressing goal of increasing traf- fic by giving the audience what it wants.

Caply, H. & Knox, J. S. (2012). Online news galleries, photojournalism and the photo essay. Visual communication, 11(2).

This paper investigates the online news gallery as a site for new genres of multimodal news reporting, and

the extent to which such galleries may be used as a method of news storytelling. News media websites are now well established and the relative ease with which multimedia can be incorpo- rated into such websites has led us to question the extent to which galleries exploit the semiotic potential of the web to tell stories in new ways, or even to draw on long established traditions like the photo essay. We draw on two (of three) phases of data collection and analysis in this paper: an exploratory survey of a small number of galleries in established online newspapers; and an international survey of English language online newspapers, investigating the uptake of galleries and other multimedia. To tell a story, or not to tell a story: that is the question, and the answer, as online news gallery authors exploit the potential of galleries to varying degrees.

KEyWORDS : multimedia • online news galleries • photo essay • visual storytelling

Tenneboim, O. & Cohen, A. A. (2015). What prompts users to click and comment: A longitudinal study of online news. Journalism, 16(2), 198-217.

This study examined the relationship between two mechanisms of online participation – clicking and commenting – as well as the characteristics of heavily clicked versus highly commented-upon news items. Based on 15,431 items from a popular Israeli website, correlations between clicking and commenting were calculated for 12 separately analysed months from 2006 to 2011. In addition, overlap rates were determined, showing that 40–59% of the heavily clicked items in any given month were different from the highly commented-upon items. A subsequent content analysis indicated that while sensational topics and curiosity-arousing elements were more prominent among the heavily clicked items than among the highly commented-upon items, political/social topics and controversial elements were more prominent among the highly commented- upon items. The study contributes to deepening our understanding of the role of user comments in constructing social/group identity and offers a new perspective on a prolonged controversy surrounding audiences’ news preferences.

Keywords : Online journalism, user comments, audience, ratings, interactive, Israel

Bro, P. & Wallbery, F. (2015). Gatekeeping in a digital era. Journalism Practice, 9(1), 92-105.

The original concept of gatekeeping within journalism was based on a particular research method, a particular sub-profession within the news media, and a particular—now extinct— technological platform.This article describes and discusses what has happened to the function of gatekeeping as new technologies have developed, and it suggests that three models of gatekeeping are present in the digital era. The first model is based on a process of information, the second model is based on a process of communication, and the third and last model is based on a process of elimination, where the function of gatekeeping is taken over by people outside the newsrooms. All three models have been part of the history of journalism from the very beginning, but their importance for news reporters and the news media have changed with the invention of new technological means, methods and tools. This reassessment of the principles, practices and new technological platforms for gatekeeping concludes by discussing the ways in which our models of journalism can affect not only researchers but also news reporters and audiences.

KEYWORDS digital journalism; gatekeeping; social media; technology; telegraphy

Herminda, A., Flectcher, F., Korell, D. & Logan, D. (2012). Share, like, recommend. Journalism Studies, 13: 5-6, 815-824.

This study examines the impact of social media spaces on news consumption, based on an online survey of 1600 Canadians. News organizations are rushing into social media, viewing services like Facebook and Twitter as opportunities to market and distribute content.There has been limited research outside the United States into the effects of social media on news consumption. Our study found that social networks are becoming a significant source of news for Canadians. Two-fifths of social networking users said they receive news from people they follow on services like Facebook, while a fifth get news from news organizations and individual journalists they follow. Users said they valued social media because it helped them keep up with events and exposed them to a wider range of news and information. While social interaction has always affected the dissemination of news, our study contributes to research that suggests social media are becoming central to the way people experience news. Networked media technologies are extending the ability of users to create and receive personalized news streams. Investigating how networked publics are reframing the news and shaping news flows would contribute to our understanding of the evolving relationship between the journalist and the audience.

KEYWORDS Canada; Facebook; journalism; social media; social networks; Twitter

Netzer, Y. , Tenenboim-Weinblatt, K. & Shifman, L. (2014). The construction of participation in news websites. Journalism studies, 15(5), 619-631.

Audience participation has become a salient component of contemporary digital news environments, challenging traditional boundaries between readers and journalists. In this paper, we present an analytical framework for the evaluation of participation features in news websites, consisting of five axes: Chronology—the stage of news production; Visibility—transparency and prominence; Agency—users’ and editors’ level of activity; Integration—segregation versus embeddedness of participatory features; and Share-ability—inner, public and social circles of activity. This framework was developed in a cross- cultural study based on a grounded theory approach. We examined participation features in 15 prominent news websites in the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel, and conducted a cross-national and cross-organizational analysis. Other than the use of advanced social plugins, no significant cross-national differences were found in the implementation of participatory features. However, the differences discovered between news organizations require further investigation into the factors shaping the selection and construction of news-based participatory features.

KEYWORDS audience metrics; audience participation; news websites; online journalism; participation features; user-generated content

Steensen, S. & Ahva, L. (2015). Theories of journalism in a digital age. Journalism practice, 9(1), 1-18.

This special issue introductory article investigates contemporary notions of theory in journalism studies. Many scholars have argued that we need better ways of conceptualising what journalism is and how it develops in a digital age. There is, however, a lack of knowledge regarding what the theoretical trends within the interdisciplinary domain of journalism studies are today and to what extent contemporary inquiries into journalism are framed by emerging theories and perspectives. To fill this knowledge gap, we have conducted an analysis of more than 9000 metadata keywords and 195 abstracts found in the first 14 volumes (2000–2013) of the two most internationally acknowledged journals dedicated to journalism studies: Journalism—Theory, Practice and Criticism and Journalism Studies. The findings indicate that there has been a move towards greater theoretical awareness in journalism studies since 2000 and that the variety of theoretical approaches has increased.

KEYWORDS abstracts; digital journalism; interdisciplinarity; journalism studies; keywords; theories ofjournalism; theory

延伸討論:

可能研究題目~「液態新聞」在台灣?

文獻/理論:液態新聞、新聞理論、Gatekeeping、讀者參與協作...

工具:Newsdiff

研究對象:報紙(蘋果、聯合)、電視(TVBS、華視)、網路(風傳媒、新頭殼)

時間範圍:2014整年 or 2014.12整個月(原因~風傳媒在更早之前不確定是否有資料)

若2014整年:六家媒體,每月15日所有更改過的新聞 ...

若2014.12:六家媒體,10, 20, 30所有更改過新聞...

個案研究?復興空難當天的新聞 ...

描述統計:

六個媒體全年即時新聞數量、更改數量

六個媒體平均修改次數

(抽樣)

修改類型?

修改次數、時間

更改新聞是否屬於頭版新聞?(但技術上有困難...)

更改數 vs. 分享數(假設分享數反映了新聞被關注與使用者可能參與之程度 ... 更改數目

是否反映出該新聞是「重要」新聞?)

分析

可能分析:不同媒體更改類別重點不同、對某些媒體而言,網路版依然只是網路版

(e.g.TVBS)、更改與讀者參與度未有顯著關係 ... 「更改」作為重要新聞的另一指標?

未來研究方向

台灣 vs. 香港 vs. 大陸

其他參考資料:

911再起? 德國逮2恐怖份子

2008-09-26 19:37

〔本報訊〕美國911翻版?據《美聯社》報導,德國警方在當地時間今天上午6時55分(台北時間今

天中午12時15分),在一架停放在科隆機場的荷蘭航空班機內,逮捕2名疑似為恐怖分子男子,所幸最後這架飛機只延遲1小時後起飛,最終有驚無險順利飛抵目的地荷蘭。報導指出,被逮捕的2名嫌犯,分別為23歲的索馬利亞籍男子,及24歲在索馬利亞出生的德國男子; 而當時這架飛機正準備從德國科隆,飛往荷蘭阿姆斯特丹。

報導也說,德國警方監控這2名男子已長達數月。當地警方也表示,在他們所居住的公寓內,發現1張疑為遺書字條,上面寫著他們決定要「為聖戰而死」。

Charges dropped in Rödeby trial The man who shot a 15-year-old boy to death last October escapes punishment. He was today freed by theDistrict Court.

Last Octobers tragedy in the small village of Rödeby in south of Sweden has now reached its first verdict. The District Court of Blekinge County dropped all charges against the accused man. The 50-year-old father’s family had during a long time been harassed by a gang of teenagers. They had among other things threatened to kill the son in the family and sprayed insults on the family’s car. When the gang visited their home one night in October did the stressed father grab his gun and shot two of the boys, one of them died.Pia Johansson, Chairman of the court of law earlier today commented the verdict that freed the 50-year-old. She said that the legislation subdivides crimes in two parts where both effect and intent has to be judged. And the prosecutor has not been able to prove that there has been any intent. This since the District Court concludes that the 50-year-old suffered from a severe mental disorder when he shot the two teenage boys.

Chief physician Richard Tuck, who was consulted in the case, says that the man used his gun in order to save his family and was not able to think rationally. The 50-years-old’s mental state meant that he wasn’t “conscious in such a scale that he could be said to have committed the crime with intent”, according to the verdict. The case has got a large amount of attention in national media and among the public. The local authorities have been receiving heavy criticism for not being able to protect the family during years of harassment which eventually ended in a tragedy.