Social News = Journalism Evolution?

Abstract

Social media and “citizen journalism” have arguably changed the face of traditional newsgathering. This paper examines how social media and user-generated content (UGC), specifically video, have been integrated by BBC World News into their coverage of conflicts, with Syria as the main case study. Drawing on interviews with BBC News staff, a newsroom ethnography and a content analysis of BBC World News TV reports, this research asks: What are the challenges for journalists wishing to use UGC? What are the skillsets needed? And is the role of the journalist itself changing, with news becoming more “social” as it is being gathered and disseminated on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter? This paper argues that journalists have been forced to react to issues pertaining to UGC newsgathering, verification and dissemination. The study contributes to literature examining how UGC is used by news outlets. It also considers the extent to which the role of the journalist itself is being redefined as new products are launched. The findings illustrate that UGC has, at times, been used extensively to cover events in Syria, but ideally complements journalists’ own reportage. The research also highlights the crucial role played by journalists, harvesting and checking content found online.