Academic Publishing

An essential dimension of journalism education has been the hands-on training and experiential learning that takes place in broadcast studios and campus newsrooms.

Toward the end of 2020, the editors of the popular website Dictionary.com hosted a “People’s Choice” survey to identify the defining word of the year, something that its users felt best encapsulated the metaphysical timbre of the preceding 12 months. The top pick, it turned out, was “unprecedented,” a choice undoubtedly inspired by the myriad ways the COVID-19 pandemic had upended our professional and personal lives.

On screen, journalists have often been depicted as crusaders for truth — from All the President’s Men to Spotlight to The Newsroom. The Paper suggests something different: reporters not as larger-than-life figures, but as struggling underdogs doing their best and often getting it wrong.

The rapid growth of cryptocurrencies and virtual non-fungible tokens have dominated news headlines in recent years. But not many may see how these modish applications connect together in a wider idea being touted by some as the next iteration of the internet — Web3.

You’ve likely heard recently how the metaverse will usher in a new era of digital connectivity, virtual reality (VR) experiences and e-commerce. Tech companies are betting big on it: Microsoft’s massive US$68.7 billion acquisition of game developing giant Activision Blizzard reflected the company’s desire to bolster its position in the interactive entertainment space.

Technological development and artificial intelligence are changing the way journalists discover, analyze and disseminate news stories.

I’ve come across some intriguing examples of coronavirus-related content using augmented, virtual and mixed reality applications, although most of these haven’t come from journalists. It makes sense to me that these overworked newsrooms have excelled at data reporting and using video to cover COVID-19 because that is what they are best equipped to do. But perhaps there are some interesting ideas newsrooms can draw from as we continue to work through this global pandemic.