ISSN: 1550-7521
ISSN: 1550-7521
Muhammad Ali*
PhD student at University of Colorado, Boulder USA
Received: 01-Aug-2023, Manuscript No. gmj-23-110118; Editor assigned: 03-Aug- 2023, PreQc No. 110118; Reviewed: 17-Aug-2023, QC No. gmj-23-110118; Revised: 23-Aug-2023, Manuscript No. gmj-23-110118(R); Published: 30-Aug-2023, DOI: 10.36648/1550-7521.21.64.383
Citation: Ali M (2023) Deciphering Mobile Journalism: An All-Inclusive Definition of Mobile Journalism in the Modern Era. Global Media Journal, 21:64.
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Mobile phones and internet access have revolutionized many aspects of modern life, including journalism. Mobile journalism (MoJo) employs mobile technology to acquire, produce, and distribute news worldwide. While MoJo offers numerous advantages, it also brings forth challenges related to ethics, misinformation, and legal implications. This paper defines mobile journalism, discusses its pros, cons, and obstacles. I study scholarly publications and research papers to discover MoJo’s dimensions, criteria, and indicators. Based on this information, I offer an organic definition that stresses MoJo’s purpose: to collect and transmit news and information in a symmetrical, balanced, and ethical manner, using mobile technology to reach audiences quickly and effectively. This study explicates a clear and inclusive definition, identifies major research gaps, and suggests future research on MoJo.
Mobile phone; Mobile journalism; Technology; Explication; New definition
With the advancements in the technological domain, improving everyday connectivity and easy accessibility, the field of journalism has also witnessed a sea change. Consequently, MoJo has become an increasingly important part of the media landscape, allowing journalists to report and publish news stories from any location, at any time, using only their mobile devices. Mobile technology has revolutionized the way news is gathered and distributed, and MoJo has emerged as a powerful tool in the hands of journalists.
Today, mobile media allow for connectivity at any time and from any location [1]. enabling us to remain continually online and linked with others [2]. The number of mobile users worldwide has surpassed five billion, accounting for about 80% of the mobile phones in use today [3]. The number of mobile users has increased by 170 million since last year, with 68.6 percent of the world’s population now using some form of mobile phone / mobile connectivity device [4].
The rise of MoJo can be attributed to several factors, including the widespread availability of mobile devices, affordable data plans, and the popularity of social networking platforms [5].
Consequently, traditional reporting equipment has experienced declining usage, especially among younger journalists, as they increasingly embrace digital methods to meet the demand for timely information [6]. This shift reflects the industry's adaptation to the fast-paced nature of the digital world, prompting journalists and reporters to prioritize agile and efficient reporting approaches over traditional methods. Since the number of mobile users is increasing with every passing day, it is extremely likely that the field of journalism will have to find ways and means to adapt to the changing times. The mushroom growth in the number of mobile users and internet connections has also directly affected the number of social media users across all digital platforms. Resultantly, an additional 190 million people joined the ranks of the social media users in the preceding year, bringing the grand total to 4.74 billion at the beginning of October 2022 [7] A further 4.2% growth over the past year means that 59.3% of the world’s population are now active on the social media across a variety of platforms. And if the current rate of growth continues, I may expect that the two-thirds of the world’s population will be using the internet by 2023 majority of which will have an active presence on the social media platforms. It is prudent to mention that by every passing day, the gap between the number of people having access to an internet connection and those active on social media platforms is decreasing.
By way of comparison, Digital & Trend reports (2022) estimates that today TV reaches an audience of about 5.41 billion people, while the number of people who are connected to the internet is just slightly more than 5 billion. However, during the next 18 months, these two figures should be about similar, as the number of internet users continues to rise far faster than the global TV audience. Meanwhile, Kepios (2022) analysis advocates that more than 75% of all eligible audiences (those 13 and older) currently utilize the social media in one form or another, and on track to hit 5 billion users worldwide by the end of 2023. The most recent data from GWI (2022) indicates that mobile phones now account for 55.5% of internet usage, up from 52.5% at the same time in 2021. Moreover, Stat counter (2022) data suggests that the mobile devices represent for a rising proportion of the global online traffic. Internet users are undoubtedly outnumbered by the mobile subscriptions [8]. Mojo has emerged as a highly effective tool to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving information landscape. In this approach, journalists, whether employees, stringers, or freelancers, leverage mobile phones or other digital devices to capture events and photographs, transmitting the stories to their parent news organizations via email or social media apps. This contrasts with the previous reliance on extensive technical personnel and resources, such as Digital Satellite Newsgathering equipment and bulky cameras, for immediate on-site reporting. As a result of this transition, reporters can now bypass various obstacles encountered in traditional reporting, enabling news organizations to break stories ahead of their competitors. Furthermore, mobile journalism facilitates seamless reporting from virtually anywhere in the world, even from remote locations, in real-time using only mobile devices [9]. This shift has made it possible for a single reporter with a mobile phone and reliable internet connection to access locations that once required an entire reporting team from a news organization.
According to Mansell (2012), mobile journalism has garnered significant appeal among news organizations due to its inherent speed and efficiency. As a result of MoJo's increasing popularity, nearly every news media outlet now maintains a robust presence on mobile platforms to outpace competitors in delivering breaking news. Moreover, traditional journalists are increasingly embracing mobile and social media applications to swiftly break news stories. This trend has been notably evident in recent events, such as the conflict in Sudan, where a majority of the stories emerged through mobile journalism [10]. Additionally, in the context of distressing trends like mass shootings in the U.S., the concept of mobile journalism proves valuable, as much of the reportage is now based on this dynamic and agile approach [11].
When it comes to the devices that people use to access digital news, mobile phones are clearly the top choice, with more than 7 in 10 use smartphones to consume news content in the developed countries (Karhunen, 2017). MoJo allows for greater interactivity between journalists and their audiences.
Mobile journalism (MoJo) offers numerous advantages such as speed, accessibility, and affordability. However, its widespread adoption has led to challenges in ethics and legality. The rapid reporting by mobile journalists has fuelled a dangerous trend of misinformation, sometimes exploited for disinformation. Sensationalism to attract audiences has also resulted in outright disinformation by some news platforms. Irresponsible use of MoJo has contributed to the global discourse on "fake news," undermining the objectivity and reliability of reporting compared to traditional journalism's safeguarded practice [12].
This paper explicates the concept of MoJo and suggests an allinclusive organic definition of it after reviewing 209 relevant research articles associated with the concept. By adding literature to a topic that is left somewhat unaddressed, the explication paper aims to contribute to the definition of the MoJo, shedding light on its multifaceted dimensions and implications in contemporary journalism.
According to Chaffee (1991) Explication is quite different from other forms of definition. Its purpose is as much to strip away surplus meaning as it is to uncover the possible meanings. Whereas a dictionary might offer many meanings to a term or a word, each from a different context and angle, the goal in explication is to centre upon one meaning for the context in which the researcher is working (p-72).
This literature review delves into the rapidly evolving field of mobile journalism (MoJo) and presents diverse perspectives on its definition and implications. Perreault & Stanfield (2018); Hill & Bradshaw (2019) highlight the remarkable development in MoJo, making it accessible to every journalist with the necessary tools. Various scholars offer distinct viewpoints on MoJo - Burum (2016) sees it as holistic multimedia storytelling, while Westlund et al., (2018) consider it a journalistic process. Salzmann et al., (2021) describe "MoJo" and "MoJo practices" as solo multimedia reporting using smartphones for end-to-end news production.
Rabaino (2012) and Burum & Quinn (2015) depict MoJo as an emerging and innovative form of new media storytelling facilitated by mobile phones. Canavil (2021) underscores MoJo's adaptability to contemporary society and its significance in meeting the expectations of younger audiences. Additionally, Kumar & Haneef (2018) emphasize the importance of mastering the workflows and habits unique to smartphone solo reporting. Jokela et al., (2009) define MoJo as the practice of creating, gathering, and distributing news content solely with a mobile, networked, portable multimedia device. Pavlik (2020) underscores smartphones' significance as a primary resource for journalists in the dynamic information environment. Westlund (2008) highlights mobile journalism as an extension of crossmedia news production for mobile devices.
Furthermore, MoJo empowers journalists to work without limitations of time and space, as described by Bruck & Rao (2013); Guribye & Nyre (2017); Carolus et al., (2019); Westlund (2008). It fosters a strong connection with social media platforms, broadening readership and engaging youth [12, 13]. Zhang et al., (2022) define MoJo as a category of reporting where professionals and citizens primarily use mobile platforms to create and disseminate stories in various formats.
Finally, some scholars propose a division of the term "Mobile Journalism" for a more nuanced understanding, though literature on this perspective is limited as most studies discuss MoJo as a unified concept.
Mobile journalism has faced skepticism from traditional media organizations due to perceived flaws and deficiencies [14, 15] particularly concerning the authenticity and credibility of news sources. These organizations are entrenched in established patterns and ethical practices [16, 17] making them resistant to the changes brought about by new technologies [18]. Journalism is undergoing a transformation with the emergence of new paradigms distinct from traditional approaches [19], driven by technological advancements and a shift towards digital journalism.
While journalists are expected to uphold objectivity, independence, accuracy, and truthfulness [20], modern mobile journalism sometimes prioritizes speed over these qualities. The increase in reporters and competition in journalism leads to a race to report news first, often neglecting ethical and legal norms [21].
Barnhart and Nerone (2001) discuss how technological advancements, particularly easy access to the internet, have transformed journalism and news consumption. With the increasing reliance on mobile devices for news access [22] audiences now have the freedom to choose the type of news they prefer and switch to different sources. This shift has led to the rise of fast, colourful, and sensational news stories on unverified platforms, catering to the appetite of news-hungry audiences. Consequently, traditional news platforms are struggling to maintain their once-dominant positions. Maynard (2000) aptly describes news on mobile phones as a "robust allday buffet," offering a mix of fast food, junk food, and fine dining news options. This rapid dissemination of information is also a characteristic of MOJO, though with less editorial oversight.
Perreault and Stanfield (2019) explore how mobile journalists view mobile production as an integral part of their journalistic role and investigate the field theory dimensions that influence mobile production in newsrooms. News has become mobile both in terms of being accessed on portable devices and in the professional sense of breaking away from traditional business models. It faces challenges from peripheral actors and alternative news media while embracing new technologies, forming new audience relationships, and confronting new political challenges to maintain its status quo.
Mobile journalism has bypassed the traditional idea of gatekeeping in journalism, where content is unfiltered, unedited, and not delayed [23, 24]. Kovach and Rosenstiel (2021) suggest countering these issues by focusing on synthesis and verification rather than rushing to add context and interpretation. The practice of mobile journalism is driven by market demands for speedy news stories at the click of a button, leading to a departure from gatekeeping principles [25].
The influence of market economics on mobile journalism makes gatekeeping even more crucial [26]. However, the need for speed in modern journalism has taken precedence over effective gatekeeping, leading to ethical and legal violations in reporting by online news platforms and private citizens. The rise of numerous online news platforms has further decreased accountability, allowing misinformation and disinformation to spread unchecked on critical issues.
In contrast to the past, current technology enables communities built by listeners, viewers, and readers to discuss issues, have their views heard, and receive instantaneous reply [27]. The way journalism is changing because there are now more ways to find out how people feel about a news story [28] earlier, it was almost impossible for a traditional journalist to have a quick and widespread feedback on his/her published work. However, modern technology, especially the advent of the internet, and with it the social media, has plugged this loophole. Now, journalist has the ability to gauge the public mood to the news story in a few hours of the publishing of the story.
The mobile device is changing the patterns of news consumption and improving people’s ability to receive news about current events in the world [29] this technological advancement has led to a situation where even the core readership of newspapers is gradually shifting to the digital version of the newspapers instead of the printed form. Rodrigues et al., (2022) argued that mobile journalism is a journalistic technique that uses smart phones and tablets to do interviews, report news stories and take pictures and film footage. Technology must progress, but journalists must be ready to accept and utilize it for it to be truly effective.
Those who fail to adapt to the changing times stay behind the curve and eventually become irrelevant in the larger scheme of things. In the context of adapting to new technologies, Anderson and Tushman (1991) argued that without any impactful investment in employee development by the news organizations, it would be extremely difficult for the organizations to adapt to new technologies. However, adaption to new technology will, most likely, pave way for a new crop of employees, siding the old horses that held the tradition [30, 31]. Resultantly, there is increased likelihood that the ways of the past would be conveniently replaced by the norms of today. In the early days of MoJo, the journalists who started adopting the practices of mobile journalism were considered as outsiders; and shown utter contempt in their news organizations due to their unorthodox methods of news-gathering and news-reporting [32]. The ambivalence of the professional journalists to new technologies made these early adapters of mobile journalism a burden on their news organizations [33]. Salzmann et al., (2021) highlighted the challenges to the wide-spread adoption of the concept of mobile journalism. However, Wenger et al., (2014) argued that chief among aforementioned challenges is the fact that journalists still don’t have the requisite skill-set for MoJo.
In order to undertake effective mobile reporting and mobile content creation, the journalists need to be equipped properly [34]. Steel et al., (2007) described that much of the journalistic learning processes are limited to journalistic education with no focus on the advancements in the technologies. While, Cervi et al., (2020) aims at discovering whether new models of education, such as massive online courses, can help mobile journalism training. The pioneer journalists and pioneer communities would play a mediating role in the media industry’s organizational shift in regards to the adoption of mobile journalism [35]. Rogers and Shoemaker, (1971); Quinn, (2012); and Mills et al., (2017) argued that the early adapters of technology in the field of journalism are those who act as the harbinger of change. It's crucial for news organizations to invest in journalist training to achieve the best results when employing mobile technology [36]. The MoJo, which was seen as outsider, in the early days of the field, is now considered to be the core of the news organizations.
The emergence of the internet has significantly altered journalism’s working procedures and routines [37]. Apart from changing the ways of traditional journalism, mobile journalism also requires the journalists to acquire new technological skills to work efficiently in a highly competitive environment with immense speed and efficiency [38,39]. Nerone and Barn, (2003); and Lule, (2002) have noted the several aspects of the traditional media; however, Pavlik (2003) has highlighted the extreme changes to such aspects due to the emergence of a nonstop 24/7 digital environment. The newsrooms in the news organizations are rapidly changing across the world [40]; similarly the world today is experiencing journalism through the eyes of technology [41]. The term developing type of media is often used to describe mobile journalism, however I somewhat disagree. Now more than ever, MoJo is a necessity in the age of decentralized newsrooms. Like ‘mobile connectivity paradox’ coined by Vanden (2021), mobile journalism has also become a similar entity, with several advantages and disadvantage, whereas raising questions over the validity of the changing practices in the field of journalism [42, 43]. Fortunati et al., (2009) argued that Journalism has been emptied of its critical, dynamic aspects that place it in balancing opposition to power. Cameron (2007) has also provided numerous examples that show why and how mobile journalism has supplanted traditional media. Not only did he discuss the many journalists operating as mobile journalists, but Cameron (2007) also addressed the many problems that arise from the idea of mobile journalism. MoJos’ working environment may be seen as a revolution in the field of Journalism-because this new crop of reporters is not dependent on well-build offices spaces. Instead, they work with ease, with no set routine and no set procedural steps.
One of the biggest issue and concern by the traditional journalist was about the ethical and legal framework of the mobile journalists. Salzmann et al., (2021) highlighted three primary dimensions of the MoJo mind-set: (1) mastering the MoJo skill; (2) adopting visual thinking; and (3) integrating ethical and legal awareness. Firstly, they argued that having the right set of skills was crucial for anyone attempting to do MoJo. Journalists should be proficient with cameras and other electronic gear used in reporting. Second, practitioners must be able to think visually and creatively in order to generate interesting content. Finally, it’s vital to realize the value of knowing one's own limitations in terms of the moral and legal constraints of a story. When it comes to MoJo, the value of ethical and legal understanding is of the utmost significance [44-48]. The emergence of new technology in journalism has posed a challenge to the ethical issues that were traditionally regarded as a defining characteristic of traditional journalism.
Since MoJo often involves high-speed reporting [49], a journalist must take into account both ethical and legal considerations while covering stories that may occasionally have a direct bearing on public health and safety. MoJo demands that the journalists get close to action and the events; therefore, it is likely that in the absence of ethical and legal awareness, the journalists may cross ethical and legal lines [49]. However, by publishing false material or making defamatory statements, MoJo may get oneself into trouble. The news organizations should have institutional frameworks to not only train the journalists in MoJo but also gate-keep their stories in real time [51].
No all-inclusive definition of “mobile journalism” could be found in any of the communication studies dictionaries reviewed. A general dictionary defines mobile journalism as the practice “when journalists use portable electronic devices (smartphones and tablets) to gather, edit and distribute news to an audience” (Allan, 2005; Wikipedia, 2022). In contrast, a comprehensive review of the academic literature revealed dimensions of mobile journalism, including information gathering, medium, engagement, objectivity, audience, ethical considerations, and speed of delivering information. This research focuses on one definition of mobile journalism for general purposes by reviewing scholarly articles and research papers that mentioned or otherwise defined mobile journalism. I set out to learn about the criteria and indicators already applied to mobile Journalism. Then, I used that information to formulate a more inclusive definition and explanation of the concept. Here, I propose the organic definition of MoJo as "mobile journalism's purpose – through the reporters and journalists is to gather news, significant information to entertain, amuse, educate, inform and highlight significant societal issues in a symmetrical, balanced and ethical way while utilizing the mobile technology to distribute news content to the large audience from anywhere with minimum delay." To further decipher the proposed definition of MoJo based on the dimensions and indications in the following paragraphs for the sake of explanation.
Sources of news: The burgeoning dominance of mobile phones and social media platforms as primary conduits for news and information underscores the mounting significance of mobile journalism in contemporary society [52, 53]. This trend, which shows no signs of ebbing, is expected to amplify the influence of mobile journalism exponentially in the foreseeable future. The widespread adoption of mobile devices is not only reshaping our news consumption patterns but also profoundly affecting the genesis of news content. Mobile journalism, or MoJo, operates in much the same way as traditional journalism, in terms of gathering and processing information to serve the public interest.
That being said, mobile journalism heralds a profound shift towards a more individualized approach to news gathering [54]. Dissecting the journalistic routine into three key phases information gathering, processing, and dissemination it becomes evident that journalists must undertake these processes regularly, proactively, and in a comprehensive manner. However, traditional journalists often find the transformation into agile, multi-tasking reporters, who utilize mobile phones for content creation and dissemination, challenging [55]. Raised in an era where the reliability of news was paramount, these journalists tend to prioritize rigorous editorial checks.
The rapidly evolving information landscape of today, though, has precipitated a climate where speed has usurped reliability and credibility as the primary criteria for a news story. Consequently, traditional journalists within news organizations often struggle to adapt to these changing dynamics and emulate the practices, techniques, and stylistic nuances of mobile journalists.
Purpose of the news: In the realm of journalism, news serves to entertain, enlighten, educate, inform, and draw attention to critical societal matters, a function equally relevant in the context of mobile journalism. The importance of quality in broadcast journalism cannot be overstated [56-60], and therein lay the initial skepticism and disdain shown by traditional journalists, reporters, and editors towards mobile journalism. The nascent concept was perceived as reckless and lacking in substantive, quality content.
Consequently, mobile journalism was subject to substantial negative perception in its early stages [61]. This unfavourable perception presented a significant obstacle for the advancement of mobile journalism, or MoJo, primarily because it struggled to garner the credibility requisite for acceptance by traditional journalists.
Symmetrical way (engagement): News organizations have become significantly focused on bolstering their public engagement. Consequently, almost all of them have cultivated robust social media presences, striving to widen their audience reach. Even traditional news organizations have capitalized on this trend, posting links to their news stories on various social media platforms to capture the attention of a broad audience. Given the growing reliance of many on these platforms for news, this strategy has become increasingly prevalent.
The advent of social media has introduced measurable engagement metrics, such as likes, comments, and shares for individual news items. Driven by these quantifiable interactions, news organizations are vying to be the first to break stories in a bid to boost engagement. Traditional metrics, such as newspaper circulation, have been superseded by social media interactions and engagement. The more impressions a news organization garners for its posts, the greater it’s perceived influence and reach within the target audience.
With these modern metrics, audience responses have become quantifiable, and preferences for particular news stories or topics can be readily identified and catered to. The impact of click, like, and share counts on contemporary journalism is significant [61]. Consequently, I propose that MoJo fosters a more participatory journalistic approach where readers' engagement can dictate the prominence and attention a story receives. Ferrucci (2018) supports this notion, stating that "audiences have become important influences in tailoring the content."
Two main factors underpin this evolution: (1) the growing market influence in the field of journalism, and (2) the increased availability of diverse information sources for audiences.
Balance (Credibility, Reliability, and Objectivity): Information propagated by MoJo unchecked takes on a life of its own, continually evolving over time. Each iteration transforms the information into something dynamic and new. Mobile journalists in the field can identify gaps in a news story, offering either alternative perspectives or filling missing pieces of an already intricate narrative. However, given the rapid dissemination speed facilitated by the internet, the emergence of truth often gets submerged in a sea of existing narratives.
The pursuit of 'breaking news' has indeed dealt a considerable blow to the credibility of news organizations. I assert that in the race to be the first to break a story, these organizations often allocate insufficient time to verify the content before broadcasting or publishing it, consequently propagating unsubstantiated news. While exceptions to this trend exist, the journalistic community seems to be increasingly prioritizing speed over the dissemination of thoroughly vetted news.
The principle of gatekeeping maintains the credibility of traditional media. In a conventional news organization, a journalist's story undergoes multiple editorial checks before it's made publicly accessible. These checks ensure the story's robustness and the adherence to ethical and legal standards before publishing. Consequently, a story presented to the public is considered credible and verified. However, mobile journalism often lacks a stringent gatekeeping process. It is vital to prioritize truth over all else, and I suggest news organizations should reward journalists who meticulously vet facts to guarantee the integrity of stories.
Simultaneously, there's an argument that mobile journalists also operate within traditional news organizations, significantly reducing their reporting times. While it's true that MoJo has helped conventional news entities decrease reporting times, the organizations' editorial checks still demand considerable time. Therefore, striking a balance between the speed of reporting and maintaining the editorial credibility of the news piece should be the paramount concern for news organizations in this era of volatile and excessive information.
Medium: Although numerous definitions emphasize the medium, I have chosen to operationalize the medium as the mobile phone that journalists utilize to fulfill their journalistic duties and public service commitments. From an academic standpoint, the medium is deemed insignificant; working as a digital journalist equates to working in print, suggesting that the choice of medium does not determine one's status as a journalist. Today's technological advancements have ushered in an abundance of mediums.
In the contemporary context, MoJo leverages a diverse array of devices to gather and report news in a digital and expedited manner. This flexibility underscores the transformative nature of modern technology in the journalistic field, demonstrating that the medium's importance lies not in defining journalism but in shaping how journalism adapts and evolves in a fast-paced, digital world.
Audience: Do you need a certain size of following in order to call it a MoJo? So does this imply that the larger your audience, the more mobile journalism you should engage in? There is no agreedupon definition of mass audience, but for our purposes here I adopted McQuail's (2010) definition: a group whose members are heterogeneous and anonymous, at least initially and in relation to one another. Since audience is the “end of the news process” Shoemaker and Reese (2013); Napoli (2011) stated that one shouldn’t divorce journalism from the audience. Besides, the metrics of judging the size of the audience has also become shaky at best. Since the size of the audience of a mobile journalist is normally measured by the number of social media engagements / impressions received, modern tools have indicated that this aforementioned number can easily be manipulated. Hence, it would be highly prudent to devise new ways of judging the size of the audience of a mobile journalist.
Ethical considerations: While MoJo is not a modern invention, it embodies distinct challenges intrinsic to the current information landscape. On one hand, MoJo facilitates rapid information dissemination, but concurrently, it contributes to the rise of misinformation and disinformation. The emphasis has shifted from authenticity and credibility to the speed of information delivery, often at the cost of truthfulness.
Today, audiences find themselves inundated with information on specific events from numerous sources, making it increasingly difficult to discern truth amidst the information deluge. Moreover, MoJo has led to the proliferation of unverified news platforms. It is increasingly common to find journalists freelancing for news organizations or platforms that exist solely online, indicating that a lack of ethical consideration is primarily responsible for the surge in unverified news platforms associated with MoJo.
The principle of gatekeeping, once a cornerstone of reputable news entities, has been eroded to the extent that misinformation seems to be the norm. Production and distribution of digital content, such as videos, particularly in Germany, adhere to an array of ethical standards and a complex regulatory framework encompassing German media and press law, informational selfdetermination rights, data privacy regulations, copyrights, and enforcement of youth and children's protection [61].
I recommend that editors implement robust organizational support systems and procedures to bolster MoJo. Additionally, the adoption of copyright agreements, indexing of web archives, and acquisition of internal legal support, similar to traditional news organizations, could be beneficial. However, it is crucial to balance the need for swift news delivery with these proposals. The current information environment necessitates that news platforms compete with a multitude of actors and variables, many of whom sideliner gatekeeping and fact-checking in favor of being the first to break a news story.
Minimum delay: Finally, mobile journalism (MoJo) has significantly expedited the news gathering process, endowing journalists with unprecedented flexibility [64]. In today's fastpaced world, timeliness is critical; many regard being the first to report a story as a crucial achievement. The term 'minimum delay' herein refers to the time required to navigate all gatekeeping and editorial policies before airing or publishing a story.
Mobile journalism often necessitates rapid reporting, as the on-site presence with a mobile phone or any mobile device opens up numerous opportunities for capturing footage and live-streaming events in real time [65]. With MoJo catalysing an uptick in freelance reporters for news organizations/platforms, traditionalists in the MoJo community who adhere to gatekeeping processes are gradually being replaced by a new generation of journalists and reporters [66-70].
Driven by market competition, these emerging professionals strive to break news stories before their counterparts. Regrettably, even audiences seem to increasingly favor rapid information flow over authentic reporting [71-75]. As a result, the necessary delay for breaking a news story is shrinking daily, creating a potential gateway for ethical and legal breaches in news reporting [76, 77].
I have developed a definition of mobile journalism consistent with scholarly explanations by using aspects and traits to arrive at an organic definition and to explicate the concept [78]. I acknowledge that some terms used in the definition may require further explication. I also recognize that the new definition is neither complete nor exhaustive and that additional effort is necessary. However, this is a tiny step forward. Even though researched definitions are limited to an American perspective. It might be advantageous to investigate international definitions. Is mobile journalism’s definition broadly accepted? Or does it depend on cultural and social factors? And how does the general population define it? These questions can be answered with future studies. To fully grasp the depth of the MoJo’s popular appeal, I propose comparing studies on the MoJo conducted in the world’s foremost MoJo-using countries. I further suggest that future researchers may investigate the impact of mobile journalism upon the overall health of the media industry. Apart from the scholarly debate on mobile journalism, it is important to undertake research on the practical impact of mobile journalism on the society [78]. Several studies have emerged in recent times that indicate an increase in the collective societal stress levels possibly due to the increasing information overload. It would be interesting – and perhaps quite revealing to examine the effects of the concept of mobile journalism’s constant stream of breaking news from a psychological perspective. Moreover, the increasing intersection between mobile journalism and social media apps is also a crucial feature that needs further exploration. It is evident that the majority of traditional journalists have begun using social media to increase their public engagement and impressions. As a result, these engagements also pave the door for the traditional journalists to share news articles on these platforms. In a similar vein, the recent trend of established journalists creating content for video-streaming sites primarily YouTube requires additional and in-depth study [80, 81].
Additionally, MoJo presents unique ethical challenges for journalists, including issues related to bias, accuracy, and privacy. Future research could examine the development of best practices and ethical guidelines for MoJo, as well as the role of news organizations in promoting ethical MoJo practices.
MoJo has the potential to democratize news coverage, allowing citizen journalists and independent reporters to report on news events that may not be covered by traditional news organizations. Future research could explore the role of MoJo in shaping news coverage and the implications of this for the media landscape [82, 83].
The trajectory of Mobile Journalism (MoJo) is poised to be shaped by technological advancements such as the rise of virtual and augmented reality and the implementation of 5G networks. The increasingly common usage of drones for aerial photography and video footage is also predicted to permeate the MoJo landscape further. Legacy media outlets and other media organizations must embrace these disruptive changes and adapt to the emerging realities rather than resisting such transformative trends.
Nevertheless, instead of wholly adopting MoJo with its inherent imperfections, it would be more prudent for traditional news organizations to adapt their existing procedures and norms. The goal is to incorporate the ethos and practice of MoJo while simultaneously preserving the hallmark editorial checks and balances that have always defined them. Although the current information landscape and audience preferences nudge journalists towards swift reporting, it is essential to ensure that adequate checks and balances are implemented to verify the credibility of each news story.
In conclusion, MoJo is indubitably the future of journalism; major news organizations are already transitioning towards digitization. Therefore, there is a critical need for emerging literature that addresses the myriad nuances of MoJo. It is also essential for news organizations to conduct comprehensive training workshops to acquaint traditional journalists with the methods and ethos of MoJo. Such mutual understanding will enable conventional journalists to grasp the dynamics of MoJo, while simultaneously enlightening mobile journalists about the vital importance of rigorous checks and balances in the field.
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