Journalism and Immersive Media: Challenges and Opportunities

A special issue of Journalism and Media (ISSN 2673-5172).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 3709

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Communication Sciences, School of Communication Sciences, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Interests: media innovation; immersive journalism; immersive media; journalism practice; hi-tech journalism

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Guest Editor
Department of Communication Sciences, Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1069-061 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: emerging technologies; artificial intelligence; immersive media; interactive media; innovation studies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The introduction of immersive technologies in news media has triggered a shift in journalistic storytelling. Virtual reality, 360-degree videos, and spatial audio represent reality to make the user feels like they are where the events are taking place. The feeling of presence, the first-person experience, and the affective affordances are presented as three of the main features of this new journalism that reinforces the experiential dimension. Within the spectrum of immersive media, augmented reality is often included as a more viable alternative due to its portability, mobility, and ubiquity.

The informative ability of immersive media transform these technologies into valuable and intriguing tools for journalists when it comes to reporting on complex issues. Beyond the disruptive factor, their use is intended to allow audiences to get a better understanding of news stories and distant realities. Therefore, since their introduction in newsrooms became popular in the mid-2010s, these technologies have been employed to depict events such as armed conflicts, human trafficking, migratory flows like the refugee crisis in Europe, volcanic devastations, social injustices, and mass protests, among many other issues. However, with the first experimental wave behind us, the question now is whether newsrooms will set aside the tech hype and focus on meaning.

In short, the emergence of immersive journalism forces us to reflect on its possibilities and challenges. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to delve into the intersection between journalism and immersive media in general and the impact that these technologies have on the production of journalistic storytelling in particular. Both theoretical and empirical proposals will be accepted. Potential topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • The theoretical foundations of immersive journalism.
  • The functions and features of immersive journalism.
  • Users’ experience and immersive journalism.
  • Methodological proposals for the study of immersive journalism.
  • Immersive capabilities of extended reality for non-fictional storytelling.
  • The ethics and normative boundaries of immersive journalism.
  • Spatial narratives for news storytelling.
  • Spatial audio and news stories.
  • Augmented reality journalism.
  • Case studies on extended realities and journalism.
  • Business models for immersive journalism.
  • Metaverses and journalism.
  • Emotion-driven news and immersive media.

Prof. Dr. Sara Pérez Seijo
Dr. Paulo Nuno Vicente
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • immersive journalism
  • immersive media
  • virtual reality journalism
  • 360-degree video journalism
  • augmented reality journalism
  • metaverse
  • extended reality
  • immersive storytelling
  • media innovation
  • spatial audio

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Embracing Immersive Journalism: Adoption and Integration by News Media Producers
by Ioanna Georgia Eskiadi and Nikolaos Panagiotou
Journal. Media 2024, 5(4), 1494-1508; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia5040093 - 27 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1515
Abstract
Immersive journalism, utilizing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, offers a transformative approach to storytelling by creating deeply engaging news experiences. This study examines the acceptance of immersive journalism by people working in news media industries focusing on different demographic groups. [...] Read more.
Immersive journalism, utilizing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies, offers a transformative approach to storytelling by creating deeply engaging news experiences. This study examines the acceptance of immersive journalism by people working in news media industries focusing on different demographic groups. Using qualitative focus groups, participants from varied age groups experienced VR news stories and discussed their perceptions and responses. Key findings revealed high emotional engagement across all demographics, with younger participants showing greater enthusiasm and ease with the technology, while older participants expressed interest but faced technological barriers. Trust in the media and perceived realism were crucial factors influencing acceptance. Concerns about accessibility and inclusivity were also significant, particularly among older and less technologically proficient participants. This study concludes that, for immersive journalism to gain widespread acceptance, media organizations must address technological barriers, enhance user education, and ensure ethical standards in storytelling. These insights contribute to understanding how immersive journalism can be integrated into mainstream media to enhance audience engagement and trust, highlighting the importance of accessibility and emotional resonance in the adoption of innovative media technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Journalism and Immersive Media: Challenges and Opportunities)
16 pages, 324 KiB  
Article
360° Journalism and Empathy: Psychological Processes and Communication Outcomes
by Ivanka Pjesivac and Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn
Journal. Media 2024, 5(3), 1007-1022; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia5030064 - 23 Jul 2024
Viewed by 887
Abstract
This study (N = 199) examined the impact of a 360° news coverage of the Iraqi war on cognitive and emotional empathy, and the mechanisms through which an audience’s empathic responses are enhanced, as well as the role of empathy in impacting [...] Read more.
This study (N = 199) examined the impact of a 360° news coverage of the Iraqi war on cognitive and emotional empathy, and the mechanisms through which an audience’s empathic responses are enhanced, as well as the role of empathy in impacting perceptions of news credibility. We build on earlier studies on immersive journalism to provide a nuanced investigation on different dimensions of empathy and their impact on perceptions of news credibility. The findings demonstrated that, when compared to online news, 360° news led to greater spatial presence, cognitive and positive emotional empathy, as well as higher levels of perceived news credibility. Spatial presence mediated the relationship between news modality and empathy, while the impact of 360° news on empathy was contingent upon individual differences in dispositional empathy. The results are discussed in the context of immersive journalism theory and practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Journalism and Immersive Media: Challenges and Opportunities)
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