Journalism in the 21st Century

Between Globalisation and National Identity

Journalism in the 21st century is being rapidly transformed, not only through the globalization of media and new media technologies, but also through the growing ubiquity of the Internet. These 'transforming' agents are reshaping newsgathering processes, and redefining the role of national news media in the context of a new transnational news space.

The conference will thus provide a broad platform for the discussion of these emergent issues, issues that are having an effect upon journalistic practice not only in Australia, but in the international context shaped by globalization and the 'network' society.

Conference links

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Podcast No. 1

CONFERENCE SEGMENT I: THE GLOBAL AND THE NATIONAL AND CONFLICT DISCOURSES

Journalism and Soft Power: Between Conflict Coverage and Media Diplomacy

This panel will address new forms of ‘mediated’ political influence in today’s transnational ‘network’ society. The panel will identify not only the role but also the network structure of different technologies (satellite, blogs, new platforms, such as Twitter) and discuss their relevance for governments as well as publics in a variety of world regions.

Prof. Philip Seib (U of Southern California, Annenberg School for Communication) presents the opening keynote on Transnational Journalism Middle East Public Diplomacy and Virtual States. Following his speech, Dr. Sarmila Bose (U of Oxford, UK), Tom Hyland (International Editor, The Sunday Age), Prof Michael X. Delli Carpini (Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication, Philadelphia) and Elias Mokua Nyatete, (Fomer Director of Radio Kwizera, Ngara Tanzania and U of Melbourne) discuss the role of network technologies for governments as well as publics across world regions in the panel Journalism and ‘Soft’ Power: Between Conflict Coverage and Media Diplomacy.

Podcast No.2

CONFERENCE SEGMENT II: JOURNALISM IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Journalism in the New Digital Age: New Directions for national and international media outlets

The currently proclaimed ‘crisis’ of journalism is caused by new increasingly complex technology developments. Traditional media are deeply challenged by a number of different developments which question not only their business models but also ways of journalistic practice. New transnational interactive journalistic formats but also forms of a ‘global presence’ of local, national or international outlets have an impact on business models as well as journalism practice. Questions asked are: is there a role for national journalism in such a globalized sphere? What are quality standards of new forms of ‘interactive’ journalism? What are the new models of covering worldwide events? What is the role of journalism as a 4th estate in an international context?

Valerio Veo (Executive Producer Online Current Affairs SBS, Sydney), Christoph Lanz (Director Television, Deutsche Welle, Berlin), Bruce Dover (Chief Executive ABC International TV, Sydney) and Prof Terry Flew (Queensland U of Technology, Brisbane) discuss the current ‘crisis’ of journalism, how it challenges business models and traditional journalism in the plenary session Journalism in the New Digital Age: New Directions for National and International Media Outlets.

Podcast No.3

CONFERENCE SEGMENT III: GLOBAL NETWORK TECHNOLOGIES AND NATIONAL JOURNALISM PRACTICE

Journalism Practice and the Changing Newsroom

This plenary will address crucial issues of in-house ‘news’ management. The panel will address issues of pressures of rolling coverage, new approaches to the role of ‘objectivity’ as a key factor of quality journalism, cross-platform delivery, as well as the role of diverse news sources in times of worldwide conflicts.

Prof Barbie Zelizer, (Annenberg School for Communication, U of Pennsylvania) will deliver her keynote address on Local Memories - Global News. Then, Prof Ralph J. Begleiter (Former CNN World Affairs Correspondent, U of Delaware) looks at Journalism Practice Across Time: The Impact of Changing Technologies on Newsroom Practice over the past 30 years. Prof John Hartley (Queensland U of Technology, Brisbane), Paul Ramadge, (Editor in Chief of The Age, Melbourne) and Eric Beecher (Publisher of Crikey, Melbourne) discuss Journalism Practice and the Changing Newsroom.

Podcast No.4

CONFERENCE SEGMENT IV: THE ETHICS OF JOURNALISM AND ITS FUTURE IN A DIGITAL WORLD

Journalistic Ethics and the Future of Journalism

This panel will focus on the question of quality standards and the new role of journalists within a transnational communicative space. Whereas issues of journalism ethics have often been framed in a national context, today’s transnational media formats require the revisiting of key ethical practices not only for journalists but also in the broader framework of a globalized news sphere

Prof Nick Couldry (Goldsmiths University of London) speaks about journalism ethics in his talk: Towards the Ethics of Global Media: Truthfulness, Hospitality, Care. In the last plenary discussion of the conference, Prof Julianne Schultz, Griffith U, Queensland, Christoph Wimmer (SBS Radio, Sydney) and Michael Gawenda (Centre for Advanced Journalism, U of Melbourne) discuss Journalistic Ethics and the Future of Journalism.