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Journo-influencers, or journalist influencer, or news influencers[1] are professionals who blend traditional journalism with the internet reach of modern social media influencers.[2] A production of the internet age, Journo-influencres typically use platforms such as Substack, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to report news, provide commentary, and engage with audiences on social media platforms.
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Occupation type | Profession |
Activity sectors | Media, Journalism, Social Media |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Communication skills, Investigative skills, Social media literacy, Ethical judgement |
Education required | Journalism, Media Studies, Communications |
Fields of employment | News organizations, Freelance, Social media platforms |
Related jobs | Journalist, Social media influencer |
Background
editThe rise of journo-influencers can be traced back to the early 2020s, as news consumption increasingly shifted to social media platforms.[3] Following their audiences, news brands as well as individual journalists began to adopt social media to expand their reach.[4] Simultaneously, some online content creators have started to engage in activities resembling journalism, uncovering facts, reporting on current events and offering analysis. The latter have been called as interlopers by the media scholar Scott A. Eldridge II[5]
According to the survey conducted in 2022 for the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, audiences today perceive journalists as including YouTubers, podcasters, comedians, authors, and social media influencers. The study found that these ‘alternative’ or ‘independent’ actors accounted for 15% of all named journalists in the United States, a figure higher than in any other of the researched countries.[6]
Journo-influencers typically have a background in Journalism, Media Studies, or Communications, combining these traditional fields with skills in digital media and social media marketing. Examples of key competencies include communication and storytelling, proficiency in using social media platforms for content distribution as well as navigating ethical considerations related to journalism and social media influence[7]
Examples of journo-influencers
editSome of the journo-influencers mentioned in the 2022 LSE research report Can journalists be influencers? by Salla-Rosa Leinonen[8] include
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Maheshwari, Sapna; Isaac, Mike (22 February 2024). "Instagram's Uneasy Rise as a News Site". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Can journalists be influencers? A new research report on engaging audiences on social media". Polis. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Reuters Institute Digital Report". Reuters Institute Digital News Report. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "The rise of the journalist-influencer". Nieman Lab. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Online Journalism from the Periphery: Interloper Media and the Journalistic Field". Routledge & CRC Press. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "Which journalists do people pay most attention to and why? A study of six countries | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism". reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Sophia Smith Galer laments the absence of regulation & support from big tech for influencers, retrieved 11 February 2024
- ^ "Can journalists be influencers? A new research report on engaging audiences on social media". Polis. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2024.