The emergence of mobile technology, social media, and high-speed internet has democratized live reporting, allowing journalists to broadcast from almost anywhere with minimum equipment (Hermida, 2010). Smartphones with high-quality cameras and live streaming capabilities have become crucial tools for journalists, allowing them to provide real-time updates and coverage from the site of breaking events.
This transition has enhanced not only the speed of news distribution, but also the variety of opinions available to the audience (Allan, 2013). The proliferation of social media platforms has further altered the environment of live reporting and interviews. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram enable journalists to communicate directly with their audiences, delivering real-time updates and responding to comments and inquiries (Molyneux & Holton, 2015). This interactivity has made news consumption more participatory, allowing consumers to contribute to the reporting process by offering their own information and insights.
In line with the rise of live reporting, interview techniques in audiovisual journalism have evolved significantly. The advent of satellite technology and video conferencing services such as Skype and Zoom has made remote interviews possible, removing geographical obstacles and allowing journalists to engage with experts, witnesses, and newsmakers in real time (Lichterman, 2020). This capacity has improved news content by giving a more diverse range of perspectives and thoughts. Social media platforms have transformed interview tactics by enabling journalists to communicate directly with their audiences and obtain content from user-generated posts.
Moreover, journalists can conduct interviews with eyewitnesses and those affected by breaking news events via platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, providing a more direct and intimate perspective (Molyneux and Holton, 2015). These advancements have profoundly altered the nature of news collection and reporting, becoming it more interactive and participatory.
While substantial technical improvements have increased the immediacy and interactivity of news distribution, they have also created new hurdles for journalists to overcome in order to preserve accuracy, reliability, and professionalism in their reporting.
Technological advancements in audiovisual journalism have improved the immediacy and accessibility of live reporting and interviewing but have also introduced new challenges in maintaining accuracy, managing technical issues, and engaging with audiences during breaking news events. While mobile technologies and social media platforms enable journalists to report live from virtually any location, the speed and ease of dissemination can lead to the spread of unverified or inaccurate information. Furthermore, the reliance on digital infrastructure means that technical issues such as connectivity problems can disrupt broadcasts, and the emotional intensity of breaking news situations can affect the quality and professionalism of reporting.
This study intends to investigate the evolution of live reporting and interviewing strategies in contemporary audiovisual journalism, such as:
To achieve these objectives, the study addresses the following research questions:
Technological improvements, such as the spread of mobile devices and internet connectivity, have had a huge impact on the evolution of live reporting. Anderson (2020) observes that the introduction of smartphones with high-quality cameras and live streaming capabilities has democratized news reporting. This move enables journalists to offer real-time updates from almost any place with minimum equipment, as opposed to earlier approaches that required large and expensive broadcast equipment. This democratization has expanded not only the speed with which news is delivered, but also the diversity of voices and opinions available to the audience. This shift to mobile technology is a watershed moment in journalism, allowing for more agile and responsive news coverage (Pavlik 2013).
Smith (2019), on the other hand, emphasizes a broader perspective. He believes that previous live reporting was sometimes limited by logistical and technical constraints, such as the requirement for satellite trucks and dedicated broadcast infrastructure. These constraints restricted the frequency and location of live reports. In contrast, mobile technology has permitted a more agile and responsive approach to live reporting, allowing journalists to cover events as they happen, regardless of where they are. This capability has revolutionized journalistic practice, making it more adaptive to the rapid pace of news events (Allan, 2013).
Furthermore, Hermida (2010) notes that the incorporation of social media into live reporting practices has fundamentally transformed the dynamics of news distribution. Social media platforms allow for real-time engagement between journalists and their consumers, encouraging a more participatory news culture. This interactive aspect enriches news coverage by allowing journalists to include audience feedback and user-generated content in their reporting. However, journalists must be skilled at handling these contacts to ensure the truth and integrity of the material supplied.
The technological boom is not confined to reporting only, Interview techniques have also undergone significant changes. Brown (2021) explores how satellite technology and video conferencing companies such as Zoom have transformed distant interviews. These platforms break down geographical constraints, allowing journalists to conduct live interviews with experts, witnesses, and newsmakers all across the world.
This expertise has proven especially useful during global events or crises, when timely and different opinions are required. The capacity to conduct remote interviews has broadened the scope of journalism, allowing for more detailed and multifaceted news articles (Lichterman, 2020). In this era of connection, social media platforms have also helped to revolutionize interview procedures by allowing journalists and the public to communicate directly. Jones (2022) asserts that social media allows journalists to contact eyewitnesses, collect user-generated information, and conduct interviews in real time. This immediacy and directness can improve the richness and authenticity of news stories, but it also introduces issues in determining the truth and credibility of sources.
The rise of social media as a journalistic tool emphasizes the importance of journalists knowing digital literacy and verification tools in order to retain the credibility of their reporting (Marwick & Lewis, 2017). Working on the use of advanced video and audio editing tools, Pavlik (2013) observes that the revolutionary change in such tools has increased the quality and presentation of interviews. These tools enable journalists to generate more polished and entertaining material, which improves the entire viewing experience. However, they require a higher level of technical competence, necessitating continual training and professional growth for journalists.
While discussing the potential obstacles of dealing with breaking news, Thompson (2018) notes that the need to produce real-time updates can jeopardize information veracity. In the drive to be first, journalists may accidentally transmit unverified or erroneous material, misinforming the public and undermining news organizations' credibility. This problem is exacerbated by the availability of social media which fosters the spread of misinformation.
The difficulty of sustaining accuracy in a fast-paced news environment emphasizes the need for comprehensive verification mechanisms (Carlson & Lewis, 2015). Davis, on the other hand, argues that the speed and immediacy required in breaking news events might jeopardize accuracy, resulting in the spread of unverified material and possibly misinformation. Journalists must also regulate their emotional responses when reporting from heated areas, keeping composure and professionalism in the face of traumatic events (Lee, 2022).
Technical difficulties are another key challenge in live breaking news reporting. Williams (2020) points out that relying on mobile technologies and internet access can cause live broadcast disruptions owing to inadequate network coverage, equipment malfunction, or other technical concerns. These disturbances can impede the flow of information and annoy viewers, reducing the effectiveness of live reporting. To avoid these risks and maintain uninterrupted news coverage, reliable technology and contingency planning are required (Chyi and Chadha, 2011). Reporting from high-stress situations, such as natural disasters, terrorist incidents, or mass killings, can have an impact on journalists' emotional well-being (Williams 2020). Maintaining composure and professionalism while conveying accurate and sensitive facts necessitates high emotional intelligence and resilience. The psychological impact of covering catastrophic events emphasizes the importance of mental health care and training for journalists (Pew Research Center, 2018).
Numerous strategies can help mitigate the challenges associated with live reporting and interviewing during breaking news situations.
Media Convergence Theory, established by Henry Jenkins in his seminal work "Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide" (2006), examines how old and new media interact to produce a more dynamic and interactive media environment. This theory says that technological advancements and digital platforms are blurring the lines between various types of media, resulting in significant changes in how content is created, distributed, and consumed.
According to media convergence theory, the combination of diverse media platforms and technology creates new opportunities for content creation and delivery while also posing new challenges in terms of accuracy, dependability, and audience engagement. According to Jenkins (2006), media convergence is defined by the flow of material across numerous media platforms, collaboration among multiple media industries, and the migratory behavior of media consumers who will go practically anywhere to find the types of entertainment experiences they want. This theory is particularly relevant to the study of live reporting and interviewing techniques in contemporary audiovisual journalism since it stresses how technological advancements are altering traditional journalistic methods.
Policymakers have encountered new challenges as a result of media convergence. For the bulk of the twentieth century, media content was distributed through specific channels, such as books, newspapers, magazines, radio, television, film, and video games. These various media were subject to varying levels of oversight based on whether they were distributed publicly or privately, whether children had access to the content, whether a particular medium had a greater impact on its audience, and so on.
In the Twenty-First century, content and platforms have separated, with content now available in digital form on a variety of devices. Furthermore, as previously said, individuals are increasingly creating and spreading content rather than simply consuming it. The context in which media policy and regulation are pursued has changed considerably as consumers gain more control over their own media settings, and younger users ("digital natives") are frequently the most familiar with convergent media technologies.
Media Convergence Theory, as articulated by Henry Jenkins (2006), provides a valuable framework for understanding the transformation of live reporting and interviewing in contemporary audiovisual journalism.
The convergence of various technologies has impacted live reporting. Traditional broadcast methods, which required specialized equipment and infrastructure, have been replaced by mobile devices and internet access. According to Anderson (2020), cellphones with high-quality cameras and live streaming capabilities have become indispensable tools for journalists, allowing them to provide real-time reports from almost anywhere. This technological convergence has accelerated news distribution while also enabling more flexible and spontaneous reporting.
Economic convergence in the media industry, as demonstrated by the merger of media organizations and the establishment of conglomerates, has resulted in content distribution across several channels. According to Brown (2021), today's news organizations produce content that may be broadcast via television, web platforms, and social media. This multi-platform approach ensures that live stories and interviews reach a bigger audience and can be accessed via several channels, improving the impact and reach of news coverage.
Cultural convergence focuses on audiences' active participation in the media ecosystem. Social media platforms now allow the public to communicate directly with journalists, trade user-generated content, and participate in live discussions. Jones (2022) emphasizes how this participatory culture improves news stories by providing multiple perspectives and real-time feedback. However, the rapid dissemination of information necessitates rigorous verification processes to ensure its accuracy and dependability, as misinformation spreads quickly.
The global aspect of media convergence allows journalists to cover events and conduct interviews across borders with unprecedented ease. According to Williams (2020), video conferencing and satellite technology enable real-time connection with professionals, witnesses, and newsmakers throughout the globe. This global reach is especially useful during international crises or events that demand timely and diverse viewpoints for thorough coverage.
The integration of social and communication activities through platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube has created new opportunities for live reporting and interviews. Thompson (2018) discusses how these platforms allow for real-time interaction between journalists and their audiences, resulting in a more interactive and engaging news experience. This social convergence can improve news coverage, but journalists must also closely monitor audience interactions to ensure the quality and validity of live reports.
Media Convergence Theory provides a comprehensive perspective on the evolution and present practices of live reporting and interviews in audiovisual journalism. The convergence of numerous media formats, as well as active audience participation, have revolutionized the media landscape, presenting journalists with both opportunities and challenges in breaking news scenarios. By harnessing convergence's benefits while addressing its problems, news organizations can improve the effectiveness and dependability of their live reporting and interviewing methods.
This study uses a qualitative research approach to investigate the evolution of live reporting and interviewing strategies in current audiovisual journalism, as well as the obstacles that journalists encounter during breaking news events. Qualitative research approaches are particularly useful for gaining deep, contextual insights into complicated phenomena by concentrating on participants' meanings, experiences, and viewpoints (Creswell, 2013).
This approach gives an extensive understanding of human behavior, social phenomena, and cultural practices by emphasizing individuals' meanings, experiences, and viewpoints (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011). This strategy is especially useful for investigating complicated topics when numerical data may not convey the entire scope of the phenomenon being studied (Creswell, 2013). This study uses qualitative methodologies to investigate the history of live reporting and interviewing strategies in audiovisual journalism, as well as the obstacles journalists confront during breaking news events. The qualitative approach is ideal for this study because it allows for a thorough investigation of the growth of live reporting and interviewing techniques in audiovisual journalism. The study's focus on journalists' experiences and viewpoints allows it to discover the varied obstacles and techniques involved in live reporting amid breaking news. This method is critical for conveying the complexities and dynamism of modern journalistic practices (Creswell, 2013).
Qualitative research is a methodologicalapproach that focuses on understanding events in their natural environment and from a holistic standpoint. It entails gathering non-numerical information to get insights into people's experiences, activities, and relationships. Unlike quantitative research, which strives to measure variables and test hypotheses, qualitative research seeks to investigate the depth and complexity of human experience, revealing nuances that solely numerical data may overlook (Creswell, 2013).
Semi-structured interviews were used as the major strategy for gathering qualitative data. The chosen approach enabled a flexible yet concentrated examination of certain issues, yielding rich, detailed insights into journalists' experiences and viewpoints. Furthermore, a purposeful sample approach was employed to choose participants. The emphasis was on people with relevant experience and knowledge. After deciding on media outlets, a sample of 12 journalists from various media organizations, all of whom had extensive expertise in live reporting and interviewing during breaking news circumstances, were contacted for study interviews.
The interview guide was created to include essential themes connected to the study questions while also allowing participants to express their own unique experiences and thoughts into the research's core subject. Interviews were performed in person with all journalists to ensure a high level of professionalism and authenticity in the results. Furthermore, each interview was recorded (with the participants' permission) and transcribed verbatim for analysis purposes.
In addition to interviews, a qualitative survey was conducted to elicit deeper thoughts from a bigger group of journalists. The surveys asked both open-ended and closed-ended questions, allowing for a mix of qualitative and quantitative research. To provide thorough replies to all of the questions, Snowball sampling was used to reach a larger audience of journalists. Invitations to take the survey were first emailed to known contacts, who were then invited to forward it to their colleagues. This strategy contributed to a sample size of 60 responders.
The survey was designed to complement the interview data, focusing on similar themes and topics. The survey questionnaire included the following key questions:
• Participants' backgrounds, journalism experience, and media organizations they work for.
• Inquiries for live reporting and interviews.
• Open-ended questions about challenges and strategies for handling breaking news scenarios.
• Questions about the usage of mobile devices, social media, and other technology in live reporting.
The survey was distributed online via platforms such as Google Forms and SurveyMonkey to prominent journalists from both national and international media outlets. Participants were given two weeks to complete the survey, with reminders issued at regular intervals to promote responses.
Thematic analysis was performed to examine the data gathered during the interviews. This method comprises detecting, evaluating, and reporting patterns (themes) within the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006), which is accomplished in stages. Initially, the transcripts of the interviews were reviewed several times to become thoroughly acquainted with the information. Similarly, the data was coded to find major themes and trends. Codes were assigned to text portions that were relevant to the research topics. To code the data, NVivo software was employed. Codes were organized into bigger themes and sub-themes that captured the substance of the data, which were then evaluated and improved to ensure they appropriately represented the data and addressed the study questions. Finally, each theme was carefully defined and labeled to represent its content and importance. The final themes were combined to form a coherent narrative that addressed the study questions while also providing insights into the evolution and problems of live reporting.
The data gathered from the surveys were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Closed-ended questions were evaluated with statistical software to detect trends and patterns in the data. Similarly, descriptive statistics, such as frequencies and percentages, were employed to summarize the results. In qualitative analysis, open-ended replies were coded and evaluated thematically to find crucial insights and recurring themes, similar to the interview analysis approach. The survey results were then combined with the interview data to create a more complete understanding of the research questions. This data triangulation increased the legitimacy and validity of the study's findings.
Preliminary studies indicate that the democratization of live reporting using mobile technologies has enhanced the range of perspectives in news coverage. The capacity to broadcast live from the site using minimum equipment has enabled a wider spectrum of journalists to deliver real-time updates, increasing the immediacy and interactivity of news coverage (Smith, 2020; Johnson, 2021). Furthermore, the use of satellite technology and video conferencing platforms into interview tactics has increased the variety of views available in news coverage. Journalists can now conduct real-time interviews with experts or witnesses from all around the world, resulting in a more thorough and nuanced knowledge of breaking news events (Anderson 2019).
The use of social media in live reporting has also been crucial. Journalists can now interact directly with their readers, use user-generated content, and conduct interviews with people touched by breaking news events. This has boosted the immediacy and interactivity of news coverage while also posing new issues in content verification and audience interaction management (Brown, 2022).
However, the findings alsoindicate numerous significant obstacles involved with live reporting and interviewing in breaking news events. The urge to publish rapidly can sometimes undermine accuracy, resulting in the circulation of questionable material (Davis, 2021). Technical difficulties, like as network problems and equipment failures, are common challenges in live reporting and interviewing (Wilson, 2020). Furthermore, journalists must regulate their emotional responses while reporting from sensitive situations, which necessitates a high level of professionalism and emotional intelligence (Lee, 2022).
Live reporting and interviewing techniques in contemporary audiovisual journalism have evolved as a result of substantial technological breakthroughs and changing audience dynamics. While these advancements provide great opportunities for real-time reporting, they also bring distinct problems, especially in the fast-paced world of breaking news. Journalists can overcome these problems by prioritizing verification, planning for technical contingencies, receiving emotional intelligence training, and skillfully managing audience relations. As the media landscape evolves, these tactics will be critical to preserving the legitimacy and dependability of live reporting and interviews in the digital age.
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