Call for papers: News Journalism in Transition

Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture (WPCC)
Volume 5, Number 2, June 2008

Call for papers: News Journalism in Transition

In a time of rapid technical, social, and economic developments, news
journalism is undergoing dramatic changes. Blogs, citizen journalism
and
user generated content mark new ways of disseminating news; creating an
overlap between the production and consumption of both online and
offline
news media. Blogging, making news and consuming news are intersecting
activities for professional journalists as well as audience members.
This
creates a novel yet complicated situation. Are citizen journalism and
related developments changing the public sphere? Are traditional
quality
standards within news journalism issues of the past? Does participation
in
the generation of news embody audience empowerment?



In this changing journalistic climate, traditional news media seem to
be on
the verge of a 'crisis'. Particularly the oldest of the mass media, the
newspaper, is facing mounting pressure due to harsh competition for
audiences both online and offline. As a response, newspapers and print
media
are turning to new formats and audiences, posing challenges to theory
within
journalism and media studies. Are we facing the birth of a new kind of
newspaper within a new kind of news journalism? Clearly, traditional
concepts relating to the role of news journalism in society and
democracy
need to be re-considered in view of the current developments.



This WPCC issue examines news journalism in its changing surroundings.
We
welcome national, trans-national and comparative contributions from
around
the world which explore a range of theoretical, empirical, and
methodological perspectives. Submissions may focus on, but are not
limited
to, the following areas of interest:



·         Contemporary features of news journalism in different parts
of the
world:

-       The 'Crisis'/future of newspapers and traditional news
journalism

-       Changing markets and formats for news journalism

-       Citizen journalism and blogging

-    The relationship between online and offline news journalism



·         Theoretical and empirical considerations of the
developments;
relating to

       democracy, social change and the meaning of news in
contemporary
society:

-       What is to be considered 'journalism' today?

-    Rethinking/applying traditional theoretical concepts to the
current
situation

-       Issues of cultural citizenship and democratic participation

-       Uses of newspapers today



Applicants may submit abstracts of no more than 250 words to Sofia
Johansson, sofia.johansson@sh.se and Mascha Brichta,
MaschaBrichta@web.de.The
deadline for abstracts is 10 December 2007. Full papers are required by
1
April 2008.



*Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture* (WPCC) is a
peer-reviewed
journal, published twice a year in hard copy and PDF format. For more
information about WPCC, please visit: www.westminster.ac.uk/wpcc.



Sofia Johansson
Lecturer, Media and Communication Studies
School of Culture & Communication
Södertörn University College                       Tel: +46 8 608
4102
S-141 89 Huddinge, Sweden
E-mail: sofia.johansson@sh.se
URL: www.sh.se/mkv