group two (2)

Question……Give a detail review of Marcos Palacios and Javier Diaz Veglis Edited, “ONLINE JOURNALISM RESEARCH METHOD: MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH IN COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE”.
Fidelis Sunday
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Ahmed Halima
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Alfa Blessing
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Abdulganiyu Ganiyat
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Lucy Lansit Lass
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Jiya jeremiah baba
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Jibril Aisha
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Fatima usman Abdullahi
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Bashar Abubakar Ngaski
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Ibrahim Rukaya Ango
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Tanko B. Daniel
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Muhammad Farida kupe
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Shuaibu Hadiza
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Shehu Maryam Idris
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Benson Mercy Buba
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Joseph Helen Akun
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Hunkuyi Lukman Shehu
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Esechie Faith
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Maigamo Jennifer Jacob
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Abubakar sadiya Bala
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Zubairu Rakiya
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Franis Jemima Newidimai
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Abdulhameed Aisha
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Online journalism is considered as a new field/discipline which dates back to 1994 relatively close to when the World Wide Web emerged. The study of this new communication phenomenon spread across several nations and is gradually becoming one of the uprising course in the communication field.

The book, online journalism research method: a multidisciplinary approach in comparative perspective written by Marcos Palacio and Javier Diaz Noci (eds) is written as a result of the arrival of new development in technology known as the internet and also the need for it to be accompanied by appropriate academic monitoring.

It has been proved by the authors of this book citing (Flores, Carlar and Miquel Anati 2001) that both academically and professionally, internet publications have acquired a journalistic status which is at least equivalent to that of conventional media. This include the press, radio and television respectively.

According to the writers, internet is considered as a system that can only be accessed through academic and government institutions which are linked to the world network through RNP. The book is also meant to be an invitation to discussions and dialogues essentially with students, professionals and also researchers, which also comes with series of questions and areas of activities which is considered to be preferential for the research. It also has no intention of giving conclusion but rather to give more ways to works done and yet to be done. It opens with chapter dedication to media typology and closes with chapter teaching online journalism methodologies.

Online journalism which is also known as cyber media is classified into different categories. They differ depending on the notion conceived about this media. In areas like internet communication that is vast and rich, these typologies (categories) give better understanding of the phenomenon of online communication. One of such typology is centered on the actions or development of the cyber media which classifies the media according to the way they discharge their daily activities employing their different potentials.

Another typology is the one which is centered on communication models that offers clear viewpoints on the various communication forms posed by the World Wide Web. There is also the typology that centers on elements which make up the cyber media, this typology classifies the online media base on the type of content it produces and who this contents serve. The last classification of the online media centers on the aim of the online media. This classification is based on the fact to know the purpose cyber media existence.

Many studies have been conducted on the difference between the online journalism and conventional journalism, which this book is not an exception because it brings to a clearer light the analysis of differences between online journalism and conventional journalism on the basis of their models, theoretical and methodological frameworks of research, genres and considerations for analysis. However, it is more dedicated or directed towards the distinctive properties of the alternative journalism on the bases outline above.

Studies on journalistic genres in printed format lay emphasis on the analysis of objects of social activity in relation to their products. That is, analyzing texts base on their sources and purpose drawing a line of difference between the analyses of news and the analyses of opinion. The proponents of such studies refer to news as “reproduction of the real” and call opinion “reading the real”. To them, “opinion” has to do commenting while “news” has to do with informing. For this reason, according to them, the considerations and level of analyses for news should be different from those for opinion. The sources of the texts being referred to here are: journalists (as sources of news) and (sources of opinions). However, some scholars of genre theory argue that classification should be replaced by interactive relations. That is, interactions are evaluated not only at the level of articulation and organization from the producers’ viewpoints; rather, the process of reorganization by the device of mediation are checked.

As for the theoretical and methodological frameworks of research, all the conventional techniques used to investigate communication phenomena have not been displayed; rather, they have been renovated and modified to suit investigations into the content of online journalism. These techniques are qualitative, quantitative and experimental methodologies. One of the foremost methods adopted in the study of genres on internet is content analysis which could be qualitative or quantitative. However, the principal research methods are the pragmatics of communication, discourse analysis, critical analysis of discourse, cultural studies, the theory of interaction and the classificatory theories. In linguistics, the most studied methodologies are linguistics of text, conversational analysis, and socio-rhetorical methodology.

It is worth stressing, however, that all the outline methodologies are used for both online and conventional journalism; but adopting them for the former (online genres) requires some renovations and modifications. This is because of some characteristics of online journalism which include instantaneity, interactivity, hyper-textuality, multi-mediality memory (atomization of operation, storage and retrieval degrees). Notwithstanding, it does not mean the press has none of the characteristics mentioned  for the online press, but the degree of their differences is very high; in short, it is too high that the room for comparison is eliminated.

Furthermore, some criteria for the classification of journalistic genres have been viewed. Some of the typologies proposed deals with discursive production, classifying journalistic genres on the basis of narratives; determinant purpose of narratives or the structural nature of the observable narratives. This can be understood at the representational level of analysis and categorized based on the appearance of the texts, either being a critical or otherwise. Also, they could be categorized after understanding the purpose of narratives from relational level of analysis.

Other typologies proposed by scholars are geared towards categorizing genres on the basis of the functions of each text instead of going deep into the purpose behind the production or publication of the text. That is, categorizing is not on the basis of the producers’ preoccupation; rather, it is on the perceived functions of the text.

In addition, Diaz Noci and Salaverri (2003), as cited gives five genres of online journalism as follows; info graphics, opinion, news, interpretative and dialogical genres. Info graphics is divided into encyclopedia and journalistic, with the former being independent and very broad and the latter being very specific and complementary to a certain news story or reportage.

Journalism as a field deals mainly with information, as information is central to journalism. Hence, every advancement that is concerned with information (information management) is vital to journalism.

Database for storing and retrieving of information is very important to journalism because the field of journalism deals with large amount of data and often such data is stored in database for use by both journalists and audience. The structure of database and information system since it’s important to journalism has an effect which can lead to advancement in the field just as it is doing today.

Diaz and Salaverria, 2003:196 cited in Palacio and Diaz Noci noted about the first models of database for content management that they were based on web archives that resulted in the processing of an enormous quality of documents that depend on the case, could become unmanageable.

In understanding the theoretical context of information architecture, Palacio and Diaz Noci cited Diaz Noci and Salaverria 2003:196 pointing out the influence of information architecture on journalism; the creation of a structure that enables information storage on database protocols has made it possible to establish a new scenario in the relationship between news, publishers, editors, journalists and users.

Development in the field of content management have brought about the creation of content management systems (CMS). CMS is a computer application that solves the problem of relationship between the elements requested by users and the products created by journalists. These broad areas were identified in the organization of the elements of editorial system of online medium: The organization of production is centered on the elements that makes the running of the system that makes for the categorization, placing, representing and recovery of content in the system.

In analyzing the hierarchy of elements, it is noted that hierarchy or structuring of working is very important to ensure greater value of a published information. Hence, it is stated that a correct methodological analysis of the hierarchies of a cyber-medium will help the researcher to discover the efficacy in the transmission of information. The writers outlined from the work of Campbell and Goodman from about 1988 known as HAM (Hypertext Abstract Machine), three layers in the architecture of web; they are: the upper layer known as user interface or the presentation level, the second layer is the intermediate or HAM level and the third layer known as the bottom level is where the stored information is.

 Methodology of the study information architecture is as follows;

Bibliographical review of the object of study. This has to do with the definitions of information architecture, its use in online journalism, how to close specific problems, also it is important to consider the concept “advance”.

Description of the information architecture of the object. Palacio and Diaz Noci note that it is suggested that the architecture of the product be analyzed, both as a whole and in each subject, in order to form an idea of dimension of the work of each journalist individually or even to view the subject itself. (Palacio and Diaz Noci p.45); this implies a complete analysis of the product both in macro and micro analysis.

A different conception of database considers database as sources for the production of journalistic materials, that is, as tools, according to some systematized studies in the 1990s (Koch 1991, Meyer 1993, Garisson 1998, Paul 1999) cited in Palacio and Diaz Noci. A scholar named Antonio Fidalgo introduced this concept rightly seeks to determine the contribution of database to journalism, collaboration in the construction of a theoretical reference table.

Another contribution to the concept of database is that of Elias Machado, a Brazilian researcher and lecturer at the University of Santa Caterina (UFSC); he identified three function that explains the concept of database. They are: as a format for structuring information, as a medium for models of multimedia narrative, and as a memory for the published contents.

The methodology of analysis for the database is a multidisciplinary methodology, this is as a result of the conceptual and theoretical framework of the database. Thus, we note that research limited to database in online journalism, in general terms, is more tuned to methodological triangle (Conde, Galera, 2005) in Palacio and Diaz Noci [p.51]. The concept of triangulation is akin to multiple methods and multidisciplinary approach. In this book, the proper use of hyper-textuality and its classification has been identified.

The term theory of hypertext was first coined in an article by Vannevar Bush in 1945. However, it was in 1965 that Ted Nelson used the term hypertext in a communication during the year’s National Conference of the Association for Computing Machinery in United States. There are series of definitions of hypertext by different scholars but that which is acceptable by the writer is that of Maria Teresa Velarino and Anxo Abuin Gonzalez which states that: Hypertext is a type of interactive, non-sequential, non-lineal or multi-lineal text, that is, one not based on a fixed sequence. Its sequentially can vary considerably in the course of reading (Vilarino and Abuin, 2006). From the above definition, it is clearly emphasized that the interaction is not following a particular or specific pattern.

Marcos Palacios, in a text titled (Hypertext dating and the use of the concept of discursive non-uncarity) explains the process of overcoming conceptual confusion surrounding linearity. He sees as concept of completing the readers’ tasks by openness and plurality of itineraries of hyper document. He further distinguishes between discourse in the concrete form acquired by narrative through process of reading and discourse is always linear.

Many scholars have different viewpoints on hypertext; some see it as a form of art, some as an interactive text, some as a field of science, but Peter whally views it from a psychological perspective explaining hypertext as a reality which is more structured and hierarchical in conventional text. That the hyperlinks of a hyper document frequently do not proceed a truly cohesive reference, only selectivity is cohesive. Eric Esperet is of the same point of view with Whally; however, he further explains that the concept involves three levels which are: hypertext have various structures such as nodes and links which many scholars have seen with high importance and have given priority to, especially those who study it from the literacy viewpoint. The structures are seen to be cognitive and referential organization, and with that, play important role in researches by many scholars like Luiz Marcusui. The structure of hypertext is divided into two forms; Arboreal which is less complex and the other has a greater degree of complexity that is organized in a network. (Leao and Landow).

Salaverria and Diaz Noci (2003) ascribed hypertext with models which can be used in the field of journalism. They brought out two hyper-textual structures, axial and reticular. Hyperlink according to many scholars can be seen as an indispensable central element of hyper-textual structures. Marcos Palacios and Luciana Michiczuk refer to the para-textual value of hyperlinks; the hyperlink is thus an innovative element because it includes and puts into relation the characteristics of intertextuality and multi-mediality. While Trigg broadly divided hypertext into two categories namely the normal hyperlinks and hyperlinks to commentaries, another scholar Jakob Nielson identifies three types which are; Structural Navigation links, Associative links within the contents of the page, list of additional references. Gunder (2002) introduced methodology for analyzing hyperlinks of a literacy hyper-textual narrative by providing codes for the identification of hyperlinks, and their flow within the page.

Perez Marco identified classification of online journalistic links. They are para-informative links, meta-informative links, informative links and iconic links which is used to move icons, arrows, buttons, etc. Yellowless Douglas (1992) or Lev Manoviah outline rhetorical figures of hypertext to be metaphor and metonymy. He refers to metaphor as a whole text and metonymy as a network of nodes and about what lies beyond the next link.

There is a connection between hypertext and cognitive science because it allows for researchers to investigate, though it’s producing outcome are not fully conclusive. Some scholars consider narration as a form of representation that varies historically and culturally. Because of changes in the production and reception of journalistic messages, studies have emerged from different fields’ e.g rhetoric, to give rise to participatory journalism. Citizen journalism includes any form of participation by the audience linked to current news (Hermida and Thurman, 2007). This form of journalism has been actracting the attention of many researchers all around the world and the greatest volume of studies developed on this journalism was in the US. While empirical research in citizen journalism is still at an early stage, there are different perspectives which are suitable for dealing with this phenomena including the structural analysis of opportunities for participation offered by the website for conventional media; content analysis of the journalistic material produced by the citizens and interview with journalists, promoters of citizens media and the citizens themselves in order to understand their attitude and motivation.

Mark Deuze, a Dutch researcher produced works on participatory journalism, one of such is to understand the communicative relations between citizen journalists and media. He analyzed participation as one of the essential element of digital culture which is formed by online and offline phenomena. The evolution of citizen participation in media is accompanied by a review of the classical and contemporary theoreticians of communication and related areas. A case was jointly adopted by Mark Deuze, Axel Bruns and Christopher Neuberger (2007) in order to verify how the journalist prepares himself for an age of participatory news, when journalists and public work in a joint way. The investigated aspects such as degree of participation by the user, the roles of professional journalists, the motivation of administrators and participants, conflicts between publishers and users, and perception of success and failure of projects (Deuze, Bruns, and Neuberger, 2007).

Blogs have been viewed from different angles and perspectives by researchers. They are seen as personal journals on net (Carvalho, 2001, Sibilia, 2003 and Schittine, 2004); as a place for conversation by virtual communities (Recuero, 2003, Primo and Samanioto, Cuero 2003, Silva, 2003, cuodros et al 2005, Cuadros and Sponholz, 2006) as a space of authorship and identity on the web (Adghirni, 2006) as a medium that is acquiring characteristics of tabloid journalism (Amaral and Cuadros, 2006) as an opportunity for online socialization by people with special needs (Passerino and Montardo, 2007) as a medium with dialogue and democratic potential (Alde et al, 2007) as a direct heir of web journalism (Escobar, 2007)  as a journalistic form that is starting to gain credibility (Christofoletti and Laux 2006 and Christofoletti, 2007) as a force capable of determining the activity of the traditional culture industries (Bolano and Brittos, 2007) as a broadening of the field of journalism (Palacios, 2007).

This has been centered of the aspect of profile of blogger, the relation between blogs and journalism and the journalists as bloggers. The first research dealing with the blog started in Spain which gave a concrete form to the “profile of blogger/creator and reader of blogs”. It was carried out with the use of questionnaire designed by Gemma Ferres (2004) based on an online formular. The survey of bloggers and weblog readers was outstanding and the experience was repeated in successive years and it became a closed model from an open survey. This method have been carried out also in other countries such as the US.

The second field of research considered to be important is relations between weblogs and journalism. This aroused as a result of the public access to a global medium without published and the resulting popularization of the blogs. Researchers such as Garcia Orosa and Capon (2004) made a comparative study on the news agenda in the traditional press and in the blogs, while others like Maria Sanchez (2008) from a broader research have sketched mainly description of the presence of confidential reports in blog format on the Spanish web while at international level, works on the relation between weblogs and journalism have taken recourse to interview with bloggers (Matheson, 2004 a, b, Lowrey, 2006) and content analysis (Wall, 2005). Experiences of using blogs as tool for some research has been done making use of questionnaire on the degree of knowledge and use made of blogs by the academic staff of journalism faculties (Meso, 2007), despite the fact that large part of the academic staff in communication faculties are still unfamiliar with weblogs. Biabosa carried out a survey of weblogs to map some of the technical & social uses and appropriations of the tools and web pages. Paulo Munhoc (2005) also carried out a research through an exploratory cartographic study. Arturvasconcellos Araujo (2005) made a case study of blogs in order to verify the uses that two media organizations made of this communication systems by identifying and analyzing quantitative aspects such as volume of materials produced, archive analysis, frequency or rhythm of production of material, size of the news story and nature of issues dealt with. Also quantitative aspects (seeking to apply concepts derived from enunciation theory to an analysis of the published texts). Other researchers focused on the influence of blog sphere on the traditional media like Cuadros and Sponholz (2006) made a comparative study of the use of journalistic blogs in the principal media in Brazil and Germany. Bolano and Brittos (2007) perceived that certain journalistic blogs have an influence on the agenda of the hegemonic media. Joslany Fiedler Viera (2007) made a content analysis by employing the concept of remediation. She made an analysis of posts showing the communicational interaction between blogger and reader, opinion of the reader and the multimedia resources employed.

The progress of participatory journalism gave rise to the merging of contemporary media such a radio and television which led to the evolution of media convergence. Convergence has been used in different fields of study even before it became known in journalism; it is seen as the technological transformation in the realm of journalism. Convergence can be in business, technology, multi platforms, etc; all of which are closely related. There is no universal accepted definition of the concept of convergence. Convergence in a simple term is the gradual evolution of the relationship between traditional communication techniques and the modern ones.

Consequently, Gracie Lawson-Border (2006:4) defines media convergence as the fusion of printed and electronic media in order to distribute multimedia contents through the use of computer and internet. Following this definition, computer and the internet automatically becomes the major source where contents are generated by different media and distributed across various platforms. As noted earlier, technology convergence according to Rich Gordon (2003) is necessary to actualize the evolution of convergent process; while professionally, convergence deals with the fusion of newsroom and news materials which result in printed, audio visuals and online versions of contents.

However, convergence affects different areas of the organization of mass media. These areas now have to sit to strategize their own processes in order to cope with the reality.

For many years now, research in media convergence has increased both at national and international environment which shows the increasingly interest in the study. Media convergence found its way into academics in the international spheres in the late 1970s when authors like Nicholas Negroponte (1997) began stressing the phenomenon of digitalization and its consequences in media organizations. Empiricism is the research model adopted at the international level, though theoretical analysis are not ignored; although there are arguments on the form of convergence study to be considered appropriate.

National studies on media convergence came into light at the beginning of the 21st century. The study posed a major question which became of interest to communication organizations and academics; what exactly was understood by convergence, how to put it into practice and deal with the problems it comes it, gradually made interests fade out for some years after separation had revolved around the newsrooms for decades. Nevertheless, research projects have been conducted in places like Spain to know the impact of internet on the mass media. Brazil on the other hand has made little advance in convergence for their technology, market, mono-media profile and resistance to innovations.

In studying convergence, qualitative method of research is considered suitable. Quantitative method is most time by-passed basically because of the limitations in its explanatory ability; although using both method will provide/yield good and positive result. Under qualitative method can be content analysis and field observation while quantitative method revolves around questionnaire, survey, interview, etc. The author also noted that convergence should not be seen as the arrival point but rather as a multiple process, with a combination of the old media.

There is much reality on survey as a research method which makes it possible to approach a phenomenon in its real context; however, Wimmer and Dominick (1996) pointe out some drawbacks of survey. In analyzing media convergence, a major characteristic of other medium adopted is instantaneity and personalization; that is, packaging a particular set of information to some specific segments. The flow of information in a cyclical way gives room for effective feedback (McCombs 2003).

The birth of digital journalism is bringing about changes in the teaching of online journalism courses in universities thereby creating and introducing new disciplines, restructuring of syllabus and more recently a movement towards the adoption of distinguished teaching and research models (Machado, 2006; Tejedor, 2007; Kelly 2007).

Despite the changes that are occurring in the online media, the teaching plans of journalism need to be dynamic as evolution is always taking place in the world of internet. Online journalism as a course in most universities was not accepted immediately as most experienced scholars and lecturers did not welcome it. There was slow progress in accepting as a specialized professional practice. In 1994, the teachers made the acceptance process slow because as academic professionals, they weren’t ready to receive innovation and ponder on it.

As time goes by, universities like the University of Navarre (Spain), University of Malaga, Federal University of Bahia (Brazil) offer subjects related to communication and online technologies/digital technology. Over twelve years later after the birth of digital technology in journalism and communication field of study, it has brought many changes in teaching and also majority of researches and works “that a diversity of methodologies has been adopted in this research case study, survey, bibliographical review essay, experiment, quasi-experiment, content analysis, historical narrative………………….”; which are qualitative and quantitative research techniques of the methodologies. Survey is one of the most widely used research technique where opinion of the society is captured. Questions are being asked by the communicator to the population where the answers collected will be analyzed. In teaching online/digital journalism, interview is very attractive whereby the opinion of the interviewee is held high.

Content analysis is also used as a research methodology in online journalism where data is being analyzed using statistics which makes it possible to draw conclusions supported by measurement of the frequency with which certain elements of interest of the researcher appear. Another methodology is the focus group discussion where group of individuals or sub-groups discuss with a moderator and generalization is made out of the topic of discussion for conclusion to be drawn.

Interview on the other hand provides information and clarity that may difficult to identify through direct observation. It provides wealth of knowledge. Field observation requires the researcher to take part in the daily activities of the population under study.

In general, online journalism research methods: A multidisciplinary approach in comparative perspectives aims at giving an overview of the emergence of online media, its slow acceptance, acceptance ideas and their implementations, methods through which data can be analyzed and how to make use of it for production routines. Online media is established for different reasons working to achieve different goals respectively. It can be news oriented aim, intermediary aim and also service aim.