Re-Digitizing Television News: The Relationship between TV, Online Media and Audiences

Abstract

This study takes a socio-technical approach, and uses ethnography, participant observation, and in-depth interviews to analyze the online operations of two major Colombian TV news organizations—Caracol TV and Citytv—and the interaction between traditional media and online news teams during a moment in which television is experiencing renewed technological pressures coming from innovative forms of online video production and distribution and unprecedented access to digital platforms such as social media that offer live social broadcasting features. Findings show that complicated organizational arrangements between traditional and online media conditioned the adoption of digital technology, the transition of television media to online settings, and the production of online content at Caracol TV and Citytv. Likewise, the relationship between online teams working for TV stations and online users mimics the traditional relationship between television professionals and TV viewers in national and local contexts.

Keywords:

• Online news media
• journalism practices
• innovation
• social media
• TV
• audiences
• qualitative

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Drs. Stephen Reese, Iris Chyi, Sharon Strover, Rosental Alves and Gina Chen, professors of the Journalism School at the University of Texas at Austin, for their advice and guidance through the process of refining this research. Also, many thanks to my proofreading editor, Andy East.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Jesse H. Jones Fellowship 2016-2017 from the Moody Communication Department at the University of Texas at Austin, and by Fulbright Colombia.