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Social media as public journalism? Protest reporting in the digital era
Author(s) -
Pearce Susan C.,
Rodgers Jaylen
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
sociology compass
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1751-9020
DOI - 10.1111/soc4.12823
Subject(s) - citizen journalism , journalism , social media , sociology , digital media , democracy , public relations , media studies , technical journalism , participatory culture , alternative media , social movement , political science , law , politics
This article reviews recent research on social media platforms as outlets of street protest reporting by activists, posing the question of whether such outlets constitute a cultural source for protest movements. Given the “many‐to‐many” dynamic that alternative journalism via social media offers in contrast to the “one‐to‐many” approach of traditional media, there are implications for incursions into more democratic, participatory cultures and structures. Existing literature indicates that user‐generated content via social media potentially is known to supplant traditional journalism in protest situations due to advantages such as first‐hand access. Further, research demonstrates that activist reporting supplements and integrates with traditional journalism, and that interdependence develops. We also review the boundary conditions that constrain the use of social‐media platforms for protest reporting.