With the rise of innovation and entrepreneurship as avenues for journalists to take in their search for journalistic work, we need to critically interrogate how these terms are understood. Various journalism institutions are pushing a particular understanding of journalism, and of what constitutes meaningful and innovative journalism. In this paper, we review the literature on these themes and draw on experimental research done by one of the authors to argue for a more process-oriented approach to journalistic innovation and entrepreneurship. As a researcher-maker, one of the authors created an innovative journalistic project and tried to develop a business model for this project. She participated in an accelerator process organised by one of the main funds aimed at journalism innovation in the Netherlands. We show that one existing, and prevalent, understanding of innovation in journalism is one that is linear, rational and outcome-oriented. We challenge this understanding and draw on process-oriented theories of innovation to introduce the concepts of effectuation, improvisation and becoming as new lenses to reconsider these phenomena. These concepts provide clearer insight into the passionate and improvisational nature of doing innovative journalistic work.
In this paper, we explore the ways in which we can employ arts-based research methods to unpack and represent the diversity and complexity of journalistic experiences and (self) conceptualisations. We address the need to reconsider the ways in which we theorise and research the field of journalism. We thereby aim to complement the current methodologies, theories, and prisms through which we consider our object of study to depict more comprehensively the diversity of practices in the field. To gather stories about journalism creatively (and ultimately more inclusively and richly), we propose and present the use of arts-based research methods in journalism studies. By employing visual and narrative artistic forms as a research tool, we make room for the senses, emotion and imagination on the part of the respondents, researchers and audiences of the output. We draw on a specific collaboration with artists and journalists that resulted in a research event in which 32 journalists were invited to collaboratively recreate the “richness and complexity” of journalistic practices.
In the context of changing values, practices and working arrangements, the worlds of journalism and art converge. Evaluating these professions in conflux and beyond their (supposed) opposing ideologies and discourses, remains both controversial and complex. Through a critical hermeneutic analysis, this paper highlights key areas of tension regarding the confluence of journalism and arts. It is argued that journalism is and always has been inextricably interwoven with the arts, a shared existence not limited to Western democracies. The article proposes a continuum as a theoretical model for mapping and exploring the coexistence of artistic and journalistic approaches of news and news work. This “arts and journalism” continuum offers a potentially fruitful dimension of studying news work as a form of artistic practice in a variety of contexts. In conclusion, a consideration of “Artistic Journalism” is proposed as a way for the profession to articulate its creative foundation with its goal to pursue the truth, including the intrinsic and affective motivations of its practitioners.
The project proposal focusses on the emerging phenomenon of Virtual Humans (VH) as a Key Enabling Technology (KET) for societal prosperity. The pending VH Research and Development (R&D) agenda (2024-2028) in the Midden-Brabant region addresses the actual and potential benefits of VH for society, as well as the associated risks and problems. This VH R&D agenda recently acquired external funding from the Dutch national government (the so-called Regiodeal Midden Brabant). The R&D work on VH for Broad Prosperity will be done by knowledge partners Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas), Fontys, Tilburg University (TiU) in collaboration with societal partners in areas s.a. journalism, politics, health care and coordinated by MindLabs.With its expertise in game technology, immersive media and applied AI, BUas is one of the leading partners in the regional VH R&D agenda. However, the BUas VH R&D agenda and the MindLabs regional VH R&D agenda are not yet linked to the EU research and innovation agenda. BUas and partners recognize that they are not well connected yet to (potential) VH R&D partners and network organisations in the EU.
A multidisciplinary team of researchers, teachers and students will create and test new concepts around Virtual Humans to reach and engage the young audience with news. They will do this in collaboration with, and on media brands and content from, DPG Media (the largest media company in the Netherlands and Belgium and active in Denmark, owner of more than 80 brands with over 2000 journalists). Dutch students do this based on their knowledge around Media Innovations and Virtual Humans and the students from the USA based on their knowledge around Journalism, Immersive Media and AI. Societal IssueHow to reach and engage youth with news.
