Traditionally, journalists used their notebook. A large part of their work involves interviews and telephone calls. Nowadays, journalists work less outdoors, but they rely much more on social media.

Twitter, launched in 2006, is probably the tool that has most transformed editorial offices. As a result, journalists are online extensively to promote their work, their products, their articles and to get information from the people they follow and the people who follow them. Using social networks is faster than the traditional news agencies that the media pay a lot of money for. News sites are also turning into multi-media.

Today, all editorial offices are connected to social networks and practice what is called "computer monitoring". Yet, each journalist will have to check their information with different sources, and sometimes it can be a race for buzz and clicks. The particularity of social media lies in their speed of operation because quick access and quick spread of information play a key role on the success of news agencies.

Even the way articles are written has changed due to the internet.

In the old days, journalists were considered writers and were expected to display a style of writing and storytelling. Today, for online news platforms, this is no longer the case. The rise of digital technology has created new ways of writing in economic and financial articles. Here, journalists' tasks have changed. Before, all they had to do was write, but today they are asked at least to take photos, record a video, and moderate a forum or a live chat. It is even better if they know how to use Photoshop or build and manage a website.

What is a web documentary?

A web documentary is a story told on the web in an interactive way. Between the game and the information, it encourages internet users to discover any information by themselves. The online articles are enriched with maps, infographics, diagrams, and interactive photos. The web documentary is not the only novelty in the world of web journalism.

The entrance of web in the midst of journalism is a today’s reality. Since the arrival of social media, traditional media have experienced a real revolution in the way they work. Some are doing well, while others are struggling. But all are forced to innovate, and this revolution is not over. Journalism along with the web is in full mutation and who knows what tomorrow will bring to journalism.

Sources: Journals Open Edition, Digital News Report, Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media