Resource Title

Content Creators and Journalists: Redefining News and Credibility in the Digital Age

Summary

What do “newsfluencers” mean for journalism? What can digital content creators and journalists learn from each other? These are the questions driving this pioneering e-book from the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. Edited by Dr. Summer Harlow, the Knight Center’s Associate Director, and funded by UNESCO, “Content Creators and Journalists: Redefining News and Credibility in the Digital Age” is an edited collection of lessons and observations from digital creators and journalists from around the world, shedding light on the emerging importance of influencers in the evolving news media landscape.

Resource Details

Author: Summer Harlow
Publisher: Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, University of Texas at Austin
Country of Publication: United States of America (USA)
Year: 2024
ISBN: 979-8-9917552-0-7
Page Count: 104

Curriculum Subjects: Media Studies, Information Technology
Intended Audience: 16+ years
Format: E-Book
Topics: Ethics, Media, social media, Technology
Countries of Focus: Columbia, Ghana, Finland, France, Nigeria, United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA)

Description

In today’s digital age, influencers and content creators inform the global information landscape, reshaping how we consume and share ideas. As traditional media channels lose influence, particularly among younger audiences, these modern communicators are increasingly the primary sources of information. With the power to reach millions of followers or engage niche communities, they play a crucial role in shaping public discourse. Ensuring that they provide ethical, credible and professional content is essential to addressing misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech on digital platforms. This book gives an insight into what happens when journalists and content creators work together to tell the news.

Despite their growing reach, influencers and digital creators face a significant challenge: the lack of institutional support, oversight, and recognition. Compared to their counterparts in established media, these new-age communicators often operate without comprehensive normative guidance or standards, which can leave their work vulnerable to criticism regarding quality and authenticity. This gap underscores the urgent need for a framework that acknowledges their contributions while equipping them with the skills to uphold high standards of ethical communication.

There need to understand the challenges, opportunities, and limits that come with blurring the lines between journalists and news influencers/content creators–or “newsfluencers.”

The book is divided into 5 sections:

Part 1 considers the similarities and differences between content creators and journalists and the important roles both play in providing news.
Profiles in Part 2let readers get up close and personal with “newsfluencers” from around the world, like Dylan Page (aka News Daddy) of the United Kingdom and Kassy Cho (founder of Almost) of Taiwan.
Part 3 provides perspectives from creators and activists using their influence to fight climate change.
Part 4 shows how creators can promote media and information literacy.
Part 5 offers best practices for journalists and content creators who want to ethically and successfully share the news in an age of digital media

Available from:

Download Content Creators and Journalists: Redefining News and Credibility in the Digital Age PDF here

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese.