Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 PhD Candidate in Mass Communication, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Communications, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran (corresponding author)
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Communications, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Department of European studies,Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran, Tehran
Abstract
The growing rates of data and the need to use them and the competition to meet the consumers’ needs has driven media towards “Data Journalism”. If its role and significance is understood adequately, it can be used more widely across Iranian media as well.
The present research has been conducted aiming to study the role of data journalism in online media and is based on the theory of “Uses and Gratifications”, “Expectation-Utility” and “the Theory of Public Spheres”.Six main issues were studied including the role of data journalism in online media, the definition of data journalism, its future and works related to it, the role of Big Data in the future of data journalism and the media’s interest in utilizing it.
The method of study is in-depth interview with 103 data journalism experts. According to the results, the experts have pointed out 11 roles of data journalism including “Journalistic”,“facilitation of interaction of the audience”, “achieving democracy” and “building credibility” roles and have emphasized that considering the tendency in other media to use data journalism, online media has gained more success in doing so. The future of data journalism is deemed positive and expanding and the role of big data is also brought to attention. Supporting the interests of the audience and media, influencing governments and aiding their interactions have been some of data journalism effects. According to the results, data journalism can help the media play its critical role, gain the audience's gratification and help to revive the public sphere.
Keywords
)