A case study of breaking news coverage reveals the complex relationship between pseudo-professional and professional journalism in today’s mobile news environment.
Pseudo-professional WhatsApp news groups, which are based primarily on materials that are supplied daily by participating citizen members, are a relatively new player in the world of breaking news. A recent study by Dr. Jonathan Ilan from Bar-Ilan examined how journalistic authority is challenged by such WhatsApp news groups, particularly during critical events.
The research focused on a breaking news incident in Tel Aviv, where a Palestinian gunman opened fire on Dizengoff Street. By comparing between the coverage of the incident by a leading Israeli TV news broadcast (News13) and the way it was handled by a leading pseudo-professional WhatsApp news group called “Field Security” from a journalistic authority standpoint, the study revealed intriguing insights into the evolving nature of news reporting.