Journalism in the web 2.0 era, new business models and digital labour: Lessons drawn from digital-born news sites founded by professional journalists in Turkey since 2000s

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Thesis Type: Doctorate

Institution Of The Thesis: Galatasaray University, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, RADYO TELEVİZYON VE SİNEMA ANABİLİM DALI, Turkey

Approval Date: 2023

Thesis Language: English

Student: LAURA AVADAR

Supervisor: Dilruba Çatalbaş

Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection

Abstract:

In the Web 2.0 era, journalists have access to new means of content production tools offered by digital media. Professional journalists can practice their profession by making use of social networks, through a news site they have established autonomously and respecting journalistic values. In these news outlets, they share their views and world visions. This ecosystem, which is increasingly seen as an extension of new forms of journalism practice, also distances journalism from the capitalist/hegemonic interests of the mainstream media. However, this time journalism continues to exist under the hegemony of technology giants and a new order that they created. For example, the rise of informational capitalism in the era of Web 2.0 is changing the concept of work. The transformation of paid labour into unpaid labour is one of the distinctive features of this period. Informational capitalism plays an important role in the precariatization of the journalism profession. However, it is possible to do journalism with a focus on a sustainable business model and thus ensuring the balance between journalistic values and commercial interests. The surviving news sites founded by professional journalists are proof of this. The new ecosystem serves as a base for journalists and those who fight for the liberation of journalism, especially in countries where the media is under pressure. This thesis aimed to explore the journalism practices maintained between new journalism business models and new forms of labour, with an ethnographic approach (traditional and digital), with a focus on digital-born news sites founded by professional journalists in Turkey. In addition, in the focus of these news sites, the transformation of journalism in Turkey since the beginning of the 2000s is also examined.