Annotated Bibliography - Written in APA Style

Bibliography

Chung, D. (2006). Into the blogosphere: How online news sites are blogging the

news. Paper presented at the International Communication Association

Conference, Dresden, Germany.

As the institution of journalism is undergoing a rapid evolution, Chung explains that many newspapers are establishing an online presence to allow consumers with available access to and endless opportunities such as search features, hyperlinks, audio and/or video and message boards. Although the Internet is an interactive tool that allows consumers to interact with journalists, the weblog is an influential, but controversial tool that begs the question(s): 1) Who is a journalist? 2) What is journalism? Chung examines in her research study how news sites utilize blogs and the effects it has on journalism. In her final sample, she examined 74 news blogs; this number is based on Cyber Journalists’ List of Weblogs, which includes an extensive list of blogs written by journalists, an online entity with a partnership with the Online News Association. This research study examined six categories: author information, descriptive variables, structural features, temporal modality, exchange features and connectedness. Chung found that these weblogs focus primarily on general news and filter blogs written by reporters. Although these sites share some gatekeeping control with consumers, this study suggests that news sites are not taking full use of the Internet. Because of the slow pace to adapt to interactive features, these news sites do not allow consumers to communicate and exchange ideas.

Hermida, A. & Thurman, N. (2008). A clash of cultures: The integration of user-

generated content within professional journalistic frameworks at British

newspaper websites. Journalism practice, 2(3), 343-356.

The Internet is being redefined by user-generated content including the evolution of technologies such as MySpace, YouTube, and Wikipedia. User-generated content, also known as UGC, allows users to publish text, upload video, audio and images to the Internet. Hermida and Thurman suggest that UGC allows users to participate in the gathering and disseminating of news and/or information. The authors examine the online experiences of 12 leading national newspapers in the United Kingdom, excluding the BBC, who have utilized UGC in some way or another. This research study identifies nine UGC formats such as: polls, message boards, “Have your say,” comments on stories, Q&As, weblogs, reader blogs, “Your media,” and “Your story.” The authors found that weblogs specifically allow for a different target audience. While journalists have accepted that this genre has a place in journalism, these newspapers still maintain a specific role of gatekeeping. This research study indicates that UGC if framed by the newspaper’s norms and values.

Lanosga, G. (2008, April). Blogs and big media: A comparative study of agenda.

Paper presented at the International Communication Association Conference,

Dresden, Germany.

Lanosga examines the State of Indianapolis to conduct a comparative study to find if there is an effect on media organizations who utilize weblogs and if it has an influence on these same organizations. Focusing specifically on The Indianapolis Star and its TV affiliates, WISH (CBS) and WTHR (NBC), this research study observed four political blogs:

· Taking Down Words (a liberal blog).

· Frugal Hoosiers (a conservative blog).

· Masson’s Blog (an attorney and formal legal counsel).

· Advance Indiana (a lawyer with a conservative slant).

Lanosga found that weblogs rely much on mainstream media for news, information and updates. The findings reveal that at the national level, Indiana blogs have initiated breaking news, but in this study, the weblogs that were observed had virtually little impact on the newspaper and its TV affiliates.

Mersey, R. D. (2009). Online news users’ sense of community: Is geography dead?

Journalism Practice, 3(3), 347-360.

The Internet challenges the geographic location of newspapers not just nationally, but globally. According to the World Association of Newspaper’s World Digital Media Trends Report (2008), online news readership rose 20 percent from 2006 to 2007 and 100 percent from 2005 to 2007. This geographic location is moving online. There is a new idea of place in journalism, which exists in the online world. Mersey suggests that today the newsroom staff is tech savvy, younger and more prepared to serve the needs of print and web. The author defines community as social relations that are tied together. Four concepts of community are outlined as membership, influence, integration and fulfillment of needs and shared emotional connection. Mersey examines this changing geographic location and the implications of this online community.

Schultz, B. & Sheffer, M. L. (2009). Newspaper managers report positive attitudes

about blogs. Newspaper Research Journal, 30(2), 30-42.

With the evolution of weblogs, podcasting, cell phones and high definition TV, these technologies are redefining culture and society. With this evolution, these technologies drive more traffic online and enhance communication with consumers. The newspapers have reacted to this phenomenon by utilizing blogs as opinion and commentaries. Some newspapers even allow consumers to offer their own opinions. Schultz and Sheffer suggest that there is not definitive list of how many newspapers offer weblogs; however, nearly 51 percent of journalists read blogs and 53 percent get story ideas and sources from them. Prior research suggests that journalists have been asked to create and maintain weblogs with little direction, training and communication from editors and/or managers. In this event, some, though not all, journalists have negative perceptions of weblogs, so they do not see the real value of this technology. The authors suggest that in this case many editors and/or managers were blamed. Prior research, they conclude has not reported on the unknown attitudes of these persons.