“Digital Native Media” and the Road to Establishing Credibility and Legitimacy
The term “digital native media” refers to media companies that were born and grown entirely online; such as Buzzfeed and Gawker.
The idea of “digital native media” is interesting especially in this day and age where everything can be found online and many people get their news from apps and/or their social media. Digital native media speaks to an underlying problem of traditional news companies failing to maintain revenue and many going under due to factors; such as newsroom downsizing; many are turning away from traditional media in favor digital native media simply due to the fact it is available online and it is constantly following trends and updating its content to its audience to maintain popularity. Due to this, the biggest difference between digital native media and traditional news companies is that digital native media are expanding in growth and profits.
Despite digital native media being popular among a vast majority, it is often hard for digital native media organizations to change the public perception surrounding their content; their content is often labeled shallow and sensationalize. This perception is due in part to how content is produced by digital outlets; such as the reliance on “listicles”—short, simple and topical articles structured as lists. While listicles are efficient and effective in attracting readers, their oversimplified format with pictures that are accompanied by short captions in large size font makes them great for entertainment but not for “serious” reporting.
Digital native media and blogs are both under the constant pressure of updating content frequently to remain financially healthy. This “uncertainty” forces these new media organizations to adopt organizational forms to accomplish and maintain stability and longevity. Organizational forms include the practice of hiring employees and creating rules and regulations. Other ways digital native media would adopt organizational forms is by adopting editorial policies and rules, adhering to code of ethics, and disseminating information on a regular basis. By adopting these news routines that are reminiscent of traditional news media it allows digital native media to gain legitimacy.
Digital native media are still on the path to establishing their credibility and legitimacy but they are becoming the new “traditional” media. They are establishing their credibility by adopting traditional news media routines and policies but at what cost?
In my opinion, digital native media organizations lost their edgy and eccentricity appearance in favor of a more professional presentation. However, this new professional presence has allowed digital native news media to offer its readers credible and reliable information thus reaching news deserts−a community that is no longer covered by daily news coverage and lacks a newspaper.
Since much of digital news media organizations originally produced viral content that attracted younger readers their site, they were able to tap into a demographic that was often left out of traditional media. This raises a new question: with digital news media becoming more traditional, will there be a new generation of readers left out of the conversation?
To learn more about digital native media follow the link below:
The idea of “digital native media” is interesting especially in this day and age where everything can be found online and many people get their news from apps and/or their social media. Digital native media speaks to an underlying problem of traditional news companies failing to maintain revenue and many going under due to factors; such as newsroom downsizing; many are turning away from traditional media in favor digital native media simply due to the fact it is available online and it is constantly following trends and updating its content to its audience to maintain popularity. Due to this, the biggest difference between digital native media and traditional news companies is that digital native media are expanding in growth and profits.
Despite digital native media being popular among a vast majority, it is often hard for digital native media organizations to change the public perception surrounding their content; their content is often labeled shallow and sensationalize. This perception is due in part to how content is produced by digital outlets; such as the reliance on “listicles”—short, simple and topical articles structured as lists. While listicles are efficient and effective in attracting readers, their oversimplified format with pictures that are accompanied by short captions in large size font makes them great for entertainment but not for “serious” reporting.
Digital native media and blogs are both under the constant pressure of updating content frequently to remain financially healthy. This “uncertainty” forces these new media organizations to adopt organizational forms to accomplish and maintain stability and longevity. Organizational forms include the practice of hiring employees and creating rules and regulations. Other ways digital native media would adopt organizational forms is by adopting editorial policies and rules, adhering to code of ethics, and disseminating information on a regular basis. By adopting these news routines that are reminiscent of traditional news media it allows digital native media to gain legitimacy.
Digital native media are still on the path to establishing their credibility and legitimacy but they are becoming the new “traditional” media. They are establishing their credibility by adopting traditional news media routines and policies but at what cost?
In my opinion, digital native media organizations lost their edgy and eccentricity appearance in favor of a more professional presentation. However, this new professional presence has allowed digital native news media to offer its readers credible and reliable information thus reaching news deserts−a community that is no longer covered by daily news coverage and lacks a newspaper.
Since much of digital news media organizations originally produced viral content that attracted younger readers their site, they were able to tap into a demographic that was often left out of traditional media. This raises a new question: with digital news media becoming more traditional, will there be a new generation of readers left out of the conversation?
To learn more about digital native media follow the link below:
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