WhatsApp and Journalism: News Practices of Pakistani Journalists. | [Science, Technology and Development • 2017]

Author(s):

1. Nusrat Azeema: Mass Communication, S3H, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan

2. Ayesha Nazuk: School of Social Science and Humanities, S3H, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract:

WhatsApp has changed the way of traditional texting. It is a mobile messaging application that allows free exchange of texts, videos, documents, location and pictures. Although, the professional use of WhatsApp is an emerging concept from the news media perspective but certain news forums are identifying its emergent regularity in Pakistani journalism. Various questions arise about the use of WhatsApp in journalistic news practices. This study is an attempt to provide an insight into the concept of journalistic news practices through WhatsApp along with historical growth of work practices in the field of journalism. It also qualitatively explores the use of WhatsApp as a media coverage tool. The study underhand brings on record the views of Pakistani journalists on the growing trends of application of this new technology for information gathering and news reporting. A critical analysis has also been presented on the basis of information gathered from semi-structured in-depth interviews, taken by 20 journalists. The study points out that WhatsApp is an advance tool for information flow and has provided the fastest news sharing mechanism. The study further explored that due to inexpensive and secure services of WhatsApp, it has not only promoted but provided a new horizon to the citizen journalism.

Page(s): 249-258

DOI: 10.3923/std.2017.249.258

Published: Journal: Science, Technology and Development, Volume: 36, Issue: 4, Year: 2017

Keywords:

News reporting , Media coverage tool , Pakistan , News coverage , Information gathering , Journalism , Indepth interviews

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