The Impact of Social Media on Traditional Media and Ghanaian Journalism Practice

 

 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION AND CULTURAL STUDIES

COURSE TITLE: MEDIA AND JOURNALISM TODAY: MSC503

STUDENT NAME: MOHAMMED MAHAMUD               STUDENT ID NUMBER: 22000991, UDS /MCC/0012/23

LECTURER: DR AMADU MOHAMMED FAISAL,

UDS TAMALE: NYANKPALA CAMPUS

PROGRAMME: MPHIL SOCIAL CHANGE COMMUNICATION

DATE OF PRESENTATION: 09^TH OCTOBER, 2023

 

       The Impact of Social Media on Traditional Media and Ghanaian Journalism Practice

INTRODUCTION TO MY REFELCTIVE CASE STUDY

 

First and foremost I will attempt to define the two major concepts and it impact on our Ghanaian media landscape: social media and traditional or mainstream media. Social media is basically any social network service that enables online social interaction between individuals, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and others. According to Lula (2014), social media enables an unprecedented amount of casual, intimate communication in the present from anywhere in the world. With talks remaining as informal as possible, users are able to stay in touch with friends they have made around the globe at all times. The most prevalent aspect of the information age today is social media, which can be accessed on cellphones, laptops, netbooks, tablet computers, and personal computers. Social media is a popular source for information and updates on what's happening in society right now. Traditional media on the other hand refers to the conventional sources of news such as radio, television and newspapers. Broadly, mainstream media are categorized into print and electronic media where the print media includes newspapers, magazines and books whiles the electronic media are exemplified by radio, television and other audio and visual devices. These serve as channels for dissemination of news for mass audiences. Social media is the new form of media of mass communication that is gradually replacing the role traditionally reserved for mainstream media.

Impact of social media on journalism in Ghana

Managers, advertisers, and content managers are relocating their platforms to social media platforms in light of the significance of social media in the radio and television industries (Kim & Ko, 2012). For instance, in the past, radio and television companies required access to television and radio sets from viewers and listeners before they could exchange material (Kim & Ko, 2012). Many radio and television media companies have been compelled to subscribe to social media channels because of the nature of competition in the general media industry in order to distribute content and engage viewers and listeners. Because viewers and listeners desire personalized, engaging, interactive, and social content, the radio and television industries have switched from traditional information/content exchange to social media (Dumpe, 2015). And because of this, media organizations and managers are being forced to use a social media-focused system to disseminate content and connect with listeners and viewers whenever and wherever they are. 2015 (Alhaddad). With the use of social media, radio and television companies can communicate with listeners and viewers while sharing news and material with them in real time, regardless of their location or time (Alalwan et al., 2017; Duffett, 2015). The social media system enables radio and television station managers to post frequent updates on their social media profiles to promote and alert listeners and viewers to impending events (Kim & Ko, 2012). Similar to this, the age of social media enables listeners and viewers to express and share their sentiments regarding live events, including their feelings, ideas, opinions, and sentiments (Teng, Khong, Goh & Chong, 2014).

 

 Experience with consuming and interacting with news on social media platforms in Ghana.

Many People including myself now acquire their news online, particularly through social media. According to Pew Research Center, USA, a survey was conducted and discovered that, More than 2.4 billion people use the internet, and of them, roughly 64.5 percent get their breaking news from social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram rather than through traditional media. According to a recent survey, 50% of Internet users stated they first learned about social media via a news source. The study discovered a 57% increase in visitors to news websites from social media. The amount of an article that individuals read has decreased. The majorities of individuals read the headlines, cruise through their newsfeeds, or watch a brief video. The typical reading duration for an article is 15 seconds or less, whereas the typical viewing time for a video is 10 seconds. What news and information we view is controlled by social media networks. Before many people view a story on their feeds, it must first receive several likes and shares. Due to the paucity of readers that fact-check or read beyond the headline, many fake news websites compete for viewers with dramatic titles and ridiculous narratives. The truth is more likely to spread thanks to fake news. Content on social media is frequently highly inflated because it must be shareable and pleasant. Brands can spend more to get noticed and show up in news feeds. News now breaks quickly. Tomorrow, the events of today will be forgotten. Because of how quickly stories may be circulated and disseminated, it's simple to overlook important details. Having quick access to information is excellent, but it's important to verify facts rather than accepting headlines at face value. We need to be the media fact-checkers as social media serves as our news management platform.

This bar chart survey shows how much each social media platform U.S adults use for news. Pew Research Center conducted survey.

 

 

 Challenges posed by social media for traditional journalistic practices in Ghana.

In this digital age, establishing whether or not information is reliable and accurate presents additional challenges. False information can spread quickly in the workplace where journalists operate. Today's journalists need to be skilled at critical analysis, source verification, and fact-checking.

The advent of digital media has posed a challenge to journalism's traditional financial models. Online subscriptions, paywalls, sponsored content, and crowdsourcing are some of the new revenue streams that journalists and news organizations are experimenting with. Integrity in journalism is important, even in this digital age. Journalists now face additional difficulties, such as those relating to privacy, sourcing, conflicts of interest, objectivity, and accuracy in the era of immediate and virally disseminated digital news.

 Journalism in the digital era has more potential for audience reach, interactivity, and story variety than ever before. The need for media literacy, computer literacy, and ethical reporting are just a few of the challenges it brings. Without compromising the core principles of their profession, journalists must be able to adapt to the rapidly evolving digital world. Journalism in the contemporary era, also referred to as "modern journalism," is the practice of reporting and writing in the context of the Internet and other digital media. Digital methods are used for information collection, analysis, production, and dissemination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflect on the opportunities that social media has provided for Ghanaian journalists.

 For real-time event coverage, live streaming has grown in popularity among journalists. Journalists can stream video footage of breaking news, protests, and other events as they happen on websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Instead than relying on news reports that are published after the fact, this allows viewers to witness events as they unfold.

Journalists can give their fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse at their reporting process by using Instagram stories. Stories can be used by journalists to reveal behind-the-scenes happenings, offer updates on ongoing stories, and display their personalities. Journalists can experiment with various storytelling styles on Instagram by adding text, photographs, and videos to their stories.

Journalists can tell intricate stories in a sequence of linked tweets using Twitter threads. With this style, journalists may simplify complicated subjects into easily understood chunks of information and give readers an opportunity to interact with the story as it develops.

ways social media has influenced the business models and operations of Ghanaian media organizations.

 The hospitality sector is a service sector that takes clients to a tranquil and peaceful place. The industry relies on word-of-mouth advertising, and the emergence of social media has brought about significant opportunities for the sector. Due to the trust, influence, reputation, and relationship between the brand and its customers, social media has grown quickly. As a result, social media significantly benefits the hospitality sector.

 Social networking has greatly increased entrepreneurship. Every day, social media is actively used by billions of people, which provides several opportunities for business owners to market their goods and services. Additionally, social media marketing is economical and successful, which generates enormous profits for business owners. It’s interesting to note that business owners utilize social media to engage with clients and entice them with a plethora of deals and advantages. They also employ social media marketing to spread product awareness and foster relationships between consumers and brands.

The restaurant business is being revolutionized by digital marketing. It enhances the offerings of the eateries to prospective clients, producing beneficial outcomes. For restaurants attempting to establish a distinctive identity in the sector, social media marketing also aids in brand image development.

Reflect on the role of media literacy in the context of social media

Although this conceptualization has undoubtedly undergone progressive transformations, moving from printed information to expression and communication that includes new symbolic forms, such as images and multimedia content, the Aspen Institute [31] defined media literacy as "the ability to sensitize, analyze and produce information for specific results" (p. 6). Social media has also made it possible for many content creators to collaborate and communicate with one another [32].According to Buckingham [33], the crucial element and the knowledge that contents are placed in a larger framework, such as digital capitalism, are both important. The introduction of Internet and mobile communication technologies, which led to the creation of new media, is associated with the development of new forms of literacy. This is happening using technologically based sociocultural platforms, taking their impact into account [34].

How data journalism, visualization, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), immersive storytelling is impacting news and journalism practice in Ghana today.

Data journalism, often known as data-driven journalism (DDJ), is a form of journalism that relies on the filtering and analysis of big data sets to produce or enhance news stories. The growing importance of numerical data in the creation and dissemination of information in the digital age is reflected in data journalism. An "overlapping set of competencies drawn from disparate fields" is combined with journalism and other disciplines including data visualization, computer science, and statistics. Numerous topics have been combined and connected to journalism using data journalism. Some people consider these to be phases or stages that go from using new technology in journalism in a simpler way to using them in a more complex way.

Data visualization is the art and science of presenting data in a visual form, such as charts, graphs, maps, or diagrams. It can help journalists and media professionals to communicate complex or large amounts of information in a clear, engaging, and interactive way. Journalism is one of many industries where Artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to make a difference. A paradigm shift in newsroom operations has resulted from the use of AI in journalism, which has a number of advantages but also poses big obstacles. The ability of AI to automate mundane chores allows journalists to concentrate on more intricate and analytical parts of reporting, which is its most significant contribution to the field of journalism. Massive amounts of data can be quickly sorted through by AI algorithms, which can also extract crucial insights and display them in an easily understandable way. In addition to saving time, this improves the precision and effectiveness of news reporting. Additionally, AI-enabled systems are able to produce news articles from structured data; this process is referred to as automated journalism or robot journalism. Covering subjects that demand constant updates, like financial news or sports scores, can benefit especially from this.

Artificial Intelligence. Concept

Artificial intelligence. Information concept. 3D render

 

A technology known as virtual reality (VR) creates an interactive representation of a real or imagined environment. Virtual reality has been utilized for entertainment, instruction, and training, among other things. But in recent years, virtual reality (VR) has also arisen as a new media outlet for journalism, enabling fresh approaches to storytelling and audience engagement. Several news organizations, including The New York Times, The Guardian, CNN, and Frontline, have experimented with VR journalism.

The real environment and computer-generated content are combined in augmented reality (AR), an interactive experience. The information can be presented in a variety of ways, including visually, aurally, haptically, somatosensorily, and olfactorily. A system that combines real and virtual worlds, real-time interaction, and precise 3D registration of virtual and real things is what is known as augmented reality (AR).The sensory information that is superimposed may be either beneficial—adding to the natural environment—or harmful—masked the natural environment.[3] Because of the way that this experience is integrated into the real world, it appears to be an immersed part of it. In contrast to virtual reality, which replaces the user's real-world surroundings entirely, augmented reality modifies one's continuing view of a real-world environment.

 

 

 

 

 

New perspectives from examining the impact of social media on Ghanaian journalism.

In the era of social media, journalism has undergone a significant transformation. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have changed the way that individuals consume news and information. Twitter is now the second-most influential news source for people, per the ComRes/Burson-Marsteller 2016 EU Media Survey. When it comes to adjusting to the digital age, traditional media has faced the greatest shift and hardship. Consumers are significantly more likely to browse through their social media feeds to keep up with what's happening in the globe than they are to pick up a printed newspaper and read the day's top stories. Social media and news must work in tandem. People are looking for reliable sources of information since fake news has become more prevalent.

 Implications of social media for the future of journalism in Ghana and the importance of responsible engagement

Journalism has always been shaped by technology. Technological advances have been inextricably linked to the ability to disseminate information. We have seen a massive paradigm shift from the times of the emergence of the written word to the progression towards many other advanced forms of journalism like digital and new media. Then came the broadcast mediums like radio and television and then the internet which have each changed the way information is consumed. Technological changes influence the way of working of journalists, the nature of news content, structure of the newsroom and news industry, relationship between news organizations and the public.

 

 

concluding remarks and my future approach to news on social media

Information literacy is key: What I learnt from the case study is that, one must be prepared to educate himself well to be able to sift through the myriad of information chain out as a result of the various media which feed us information on daily basis. The knowledge of information literacy will position us as communication and journalists to command respect among our compatriots for the accuracy of knowledge we share.

Secondly, fact checking and sources must be double checked so as to help us in providing accurate data for our research especially the referencing that we will rely on whiles writing thesis, journals or articles for publications.

Moreover, the era of fake news, misinformation and disinformation has come to say as in breadth, some will deliberately chain out information to cover up true facts since most people does not crosscheck facts before jumping into conclusions. So what will be my lenses of seeking information in my further consumption of media will be to double check facts before drawing any conclusion.

 

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https://www.adonimedia.com.au/blog/how-social-media-is-changing-the-way-we-consume-news/

Impact of technology on journalism :By The world of media and journal. Published on 20 June 202