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.