media update’s Talisa Jansen van Rensburg takes you through why it is important to have knowledge about different types of journalism. Gaining an understanding of the different types of journalism will allow you to either move into a different career or see how you can involve certain types of journalism into your brand.

Here are five new types of journalists you should know about:

1. Social media journalism

What this job entails: Social media journalism focuses on news from around the world and provides it to readers on online platforms such as blogs (like South Africa The Good News) or on social media platforms, such as Twitter or Facebook.

Why you need to know about it: In February, Smart Insights did a study to see how many people in the world make use of social media. The grand total came to 3 484 billion users! With so many people making use of social media, it makes sense to have a type of journalism that focuses on posting content on social media platforms.

This type of journalism is important because social media can be a useful source of information. Not to mention, social media has also changed the way in which most people consume the news. So instead of sitting in front of the TV after 7de Laan waiting for the news or weather, you can simply go onto a social media platform and look at what news is trending.

2. Civic journalism

What this job entails: Civic journalism puts the focus on everyday people with everyday problems. It allows for integrating journalism and democracy. Citizens will be interviewed and asked about their current issues, obstacles and opinions on different political manners.

This type of journalism will always be taking part at events and protests in order to get the full scoop. Additionally this also means that a ton of research must be done on different issues that citizens are dealing with.

Why you need to know about it: By making use of freedom of speech, this type of journalism tends to be a big part of the citizen’s voice.

And with the political climate in South Africa, it is no surprise that civic journalism plays a vital role in making sure that the civilians are heard.

3. Agricultural journalism

What this job entails: Agricultural news focuses mainly on land, issues that farms might be facing, farm basics and modern agricultural techniques that are applied when farming.

For example, farmer’s weekly, puts the spotlight on news in relation to the topic of agriculture. This type of journalism allows for people to stay up to date on the ever-changing farm industry and is written in such a way that even non-farmers can easily keep up with the changes.

Why you need to know about it: More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of climate change. Therefore, agricultural journalism strives to make people aware of important information regarding the farming process and how our food is being affected by this change.

Because more people are concerned about the environment and how we can save it, agricultural journalism has become a more well-known form of journalism.

4. Cultural journalism

What this job entails: Cultural journalism deliver news to many people so that they can understand and respect each other’s beliefs.

This type of journalism allows for a lot of travel to different countries and attending events to ensure that there is a clear understanding of different cultures and religions.

Why you need to know about it: Cultural journalism ensure that people are aware of the different cultures surrounding them. Considering that South Africa is a ‘rainbow nation’, it’s important for the people of the country to know about the different religions and cultures.

5. Solutions journalism

What this job entails: Solutions journalism is when the same news is delivered that any other newsroom would deliver — but with a twist. This type of journalism involves writing content in a way that provides audiences with solutions to problems as opposed to just problems.

It doesn’t sugar coat anything but it does make sure that you don’t just hear the bad news without having a solution to fix it.
Want to learn more about the ins and outs of this new breed of journalism? Check out our article, Solutions journalism: The bright side of news.
Why you need to know about it: This type of journalism is growing because people don’t like to hear about negative news in the media and have a tendency to avoid it altogether. However, with solutions journalism, people are more keen to participate in the news because it focuses on the positive and provides solutions to current problems.

Research done by the University of Texas has found a successful article formula of solutions journalism, which consists of five steps, namely:
1. The problem — The causes and symptoms of the issue
2. The solution — Replicable ideas tied to solving the issue
3. Implementation — The details of how to put the solution into action
4. Results — The progress that has been made in working toward a solution
5. Insights — The lessons that can be learned beyond one particular solution or situation

What do you think? Would you ever consider going into any one of these types of journalism? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Now that you know about a few more types of journalism, why not check out The beginner's guide to making a name for yourself in the journalism industry
*Image courtesy of Pexels