Handbook of Digital Journalism Studies

By Elena Rostova
336
2026

Description

The rise of digital technologies and cultures and their consequences for journalism and Journalism Studies inevitably lies at the center of this Handbook. The complementary chapters explain that when we want to explore and analyze digital journalism, we need to address changing contexts and new practices, need to reconsider theories and develop research strategies. However, the changes addressed here do not imply that with digital everything is unmoored from its groundings. Nor do it wish to imply that before digital technologies were introduced journalism was a stable concept and stable practice. In a way, these issues do not matter for the Handbook. The Handbook decidedly does not explore similarities and/or differences between traditional and digital news and journalism, nor do we aim to establish cause and consequence. The digital environment is taken as a given and traditional journalism does not function as a benchmark. The Handbook of Digital Journalism Studies offers a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of news, covering topics like digital, algorithmbased, and datadriven reporting. It provides an indepth look at new digital practices, audiencecentered journalism, and ethical challenges for journalists working today. The text is an essential guide for understanding how technology is changing the way news is produced and consumed. The handbook explores how digital technologies have reshaped every aspect of the news ecosystem. The book covers central topics like Disruption and Normalization: How digital tools (e.g., algorithmic curation, data infrastructures) transitioned from experimental disruptions to normalized, everyday journalistic practices; Reconceptualizing Journalism: Investigating shifting boundaries between traditional news professionals, citizen journalists, bloggers, and activist networks; Audience Relationships: Exploring how the digital landscape influences news consumption, audience engagement, and public trust; Methodological Approaches: Outlining the complex empirical methods required to research and analyze the modern digital news environment. The book serves as a vital resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students in multimedia, online, and computational journalism, as well as researchers, educators, and media professionals.

About Author

Dr. Elena Rostova, is an awardwinning media scholar and former investigative journalist whose work bridges the gap between newsroom practice and digital theory. Her research examines the societal impact of algorithmic news curation and synthetic media. Professor of Digital Journalism and Senior Research Fellow at the Scaticook Institute for the Study of Journalism, Oxford, UK. She has done her Ph.D. in Media and Communications, London School of Economics (LSE). She spent over a decade as a data journalist and foreign correspondent for The Alpines specializing in investigative reporting on platform capitalism and information ecosystems. Dr. Rostova shifted to academia to study the intersection of artificial intelligence and journalistic authority. Her ethnographic research inside major global newsrooms investigates how algorithms shape the everyday realities of modern reporters.

Table of Content

Preface
Chapter 1. Conceptual Foundations of Digital Journalism

Defining Digital Journalism 
Historical Evolution of Online News 
Theoretical Approaches to Digital Journalism 
Normative Roles and Democratic Functions 
News Values in Digital Environments 
Professional Identity in Networked Media 
Continuity and Change in Journalistic Practice 
Digital Journalism as a Field of Study 

Chapter 2. Digital News Production and Workflows 
Newsroom Digitization and Convergence 
Editorial Routines in Online Newsrooms 
Multimedia and Cross-Platform Production 
Speed, Immediacy, and Live Reporting
Verification and Fact-Checking Online 
Data-Driven Editorial Decision Making 
Collaboration and Networked Production 
Changing Labor Practices in Journalism 

Chapter 3. Platforms, Algorithms, and Distribution 
Platformization of News 
Algorithmic Curation and Gatekeeping 
Search Engines and News Visibility 
Social Media Logics and Journalism 
Platform Governance and Power 
News Distribution Strategies 
Metrics, Analytics, and Audience Data 
Dependency and Resistance Strategies 

Chapter 4. Digital Storytelling and News Genres 
Multimedia Storytelling Forms 
Interactive and Immersive Journalism 
Data Visualization and Infographics 
Mobile-First and Visual Journalism 
Long-Form Digital Narratives 
Hybrid and Experimental Formats 
User Experience and Story Design 
Innovation in News Presentation 

Chapter 5. Audiences, Participationand Engagement 
Changing News Consumption Patterns 
Participatory and Networked Audiences 
Comment Cultures and Moderation 
Community Engagement Practices 
Trust, Credibility, and Transparency 
Personalization and Algorithmic Filtering 
News Avoidance and Digital Fatigue 
Measuring Engagement and Impact 
Chapter 6. Ethics and Accountability in Digital Journalism 
Ethical Frameworks for Digital Media 
Accuracy and Verification Online 
Privacy, Surveillance, and Data Ethics 
Visual Ethics and Manipulation 
Harm, Trauma, and Online Reporting 
Corrections, Transparency, and Accountability 
Platform Responsibility and Ethics 
Professional Standards in a Digital Context 

Chapter 7. Political, Legal, and Regulatory Dimensions 
Digital Journalism and Democracy 
Media Freedom in Online Environments 
Laws Governing Digital News 
Censorship, Surveillance, and Control 
Platform Regulation and Policy Debates 
Journalism in Authoritarian Contexts 
National Security and Online Reporting 
Advocacy and Media Reform 

Chapter 8. Economics and Business Models of Digital News 
Digital Advertising Ecosystems 
Subscription, Membership, and Paywalls 
Platform Economies and Monetization 
Native Advertising and Sponsored Content 
Labor Conditions and Precarity 
Nonprofit and Public-Service Models 
Sustainability of Digital News 
Innovation and Revenue Diversification 

Chapter 9. Global and Comparative Digital Journalism 
Comparative Digital Media Systems 
Digital Journalism in the Global South
Transnational News Networks 
Conflict and Crisis Reporting Online
Cultural Contexts and Localization 
Safety, Harassment, and Online Threats 
International Collaboration and Investigations 
Global Norms and Practices 

Chapter 10. Emerging Technologies and the Future of Digital Journalism 
Artificial Intelligence and Automation 
Data Journalism and Computational Methods 
Misinformation, Disinformation and Fact-Checking 
Deepfakes and Synthetic Media 
Immersive Technologies and the Metaverse 
Human–Machine Collaboration in Newsrooms
Journalism Education in the Digital Age 
Reimagining Digital Journalism Futures 

Bibliography 
Index