The document proposes a typology to categorize individual news websites based on their adoption of innovations in collaboration and content focus. It discusses how journalism and who qualifies as a journalist is changing with new online models. The typology aims to distinguish innovators that embrace audience contribution and niche content from traditionalists clinging to journalistic norms of objectivity and autonomy. Failure to innovate could lead newspapers to lose readers, advertisers, and profit to startups that guide public opinion without traditional professional commitments.

1. News Without the Ink: Typifying New Online Journalism Models By Jennifer Brannock Cox

2. The Problem Journalism once easy to identify Online news sites prompt changing definitions Need to figure out what is journalism, who is a journalist

3. The Purpose Define “journalism” & “journalists” from existing literature Examine innovations in collaboration and content focus Propose a typology categorizing individual news websites A normative stance regarding innovation versus tradition

4. Who is a Journalist? Journalism produced by journalists Journalists as professionals Adhering to codes of ethics Journalism norms Training and skills Those who provide “news” Information that is in the “public interest” Information that helps citizens be “free and self-governing”

5. Innovation Versus Tradition New technologies have always shaped journalism practices Innovation – the process of adoption and diffusion Newspapers slow to innovate – shovelware

6. Innovation Versus Tradition Online start-ups have embraced what traditional newspapers have not Interactivity with the audience Audience participation in newsmaking Breaking down the gatekeeping function Specialized content

7. Contributors Audience members contribute stories, photos, videos Reporters open the process, asking readers to help guide the story A conversation emerges, guiding the news

8. Barriers to Contribution Innovation Reporters’ professional norms Objectivity Independence/Autonomy Professional status Newsroom socialization

9. Niche Content Identifying and targeting specific audiences “Market-driven journalism” Speaking to a community and fostering its growth

10. Barriers to Niche Innovation Profitability desires Journalism roles Passive observer versus active participant Gatekeeping – failure to listen to or know the audience

11. Typology

12. Typology

13. Normative Conclusions News sites should embrace innovations in contribution and niche content in order to thrive News producers should involve audience members in news making News producers should seek to serve the audience to fulfill their public service charge

14. Consequences of Failure to Innovate Traditional newspapers will lose: Readers Advertisers Profit Online news sites without “professional” commitments will guide public opinion Dangers of “pandering”

15. Future Research Categorizations will help guide researchers seeking to distinguish “innovators” from “laggards” Normative prescriptions need empirical testing