Abstract
Citizen journalism and social media platforms have increasingly provided traditional media outlets, including the Al Jazeera Media Network, with abundant information in a manner that is accessible, rapid, and cost-effective. These new media forms have served as open-source channels of information frequently utilized in various types of media coverage, including investigative journalism. However, such sources are often criticized for lacking accuracy, credibility, and objectivity, as well as for their failure to deliver comprehensive narratives that encompass all dimensions of events and news.
The primary aim of this study is to examine the use of new media in investigative reporting by the Al Jazeera Media Network, a prominent media institution in the Arab world. The specific objectives are to clarify the regional significance of Al Jazeera’s investigative reporting; to identify the factors contributing to the adoption of new media tools in Al Jazeera’s investigative journalism; to explore the influence of new media usage on investigative reporting practices within the network; and to analyze the challenges faced in integrating new media into investigative journalism at Al Jazeera.
This study is grounded in the theory of technological affordance. It adopts an inductive qualitative approach within an interpretivist philosophical paradigm and is structured as a phenomenological case study. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews, and thematic analysis was applied to 21 interviews with Arab journalists, focusing on the themes that emerged from the interview transcripts.
The findings indicate that investigative journalism practices have enabled Al Jazeera to deliver comprehensive and integrated media coverage. The utilization of new media in investigative reporting has helped fill gaps left by the absence of official information from other sources. The study also reveals a strong correlation between the level of new media usage and the quantity and quality of investigative reports produced by Al Jazeera. Furthermore, it identifies several challenges that the network encounters in deploying new media tools within its investigative journalism operations.
In conclusion, while the study finds that new media has enhanced the quality of Al Jazeera’s investigative reporting, there is insufficient evidence to assert that it has become the network’s primary source of information.
Keywords: New Media, Open-Source Data, Citizen Journalism, Investigative Media, Al Jazeera Media Network
Disclaimer:
- The views expressed in this study are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Al Jazeera Center for Studies.
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