Deadline: May 8, 2020

The editors of an upcoming, interdisciplinary collection onthe future of journalism, Ville Manninen, Mari K. Niemiand Anthony Ridge-Newman, seek abstracts for chapter contributions.

Since the advent ofthe internet, the rapid development of emerging technologies has posed significant challenges and opportunities for journalism. Many of the implications, driven by a digital revolution, have been complex, latent and unforeseen. Rigorously researched and well-argued predictions can contribute to the planning and development of journalistic practice and output.

Arguably, the most crucial locus of change is the journalism-audience relationship. Or as more contemporary parlance would have it: the relationship between journalism and the “people formerly known as the audience” (Rosen 2006). The past few decades have already brought about seismic shifts of power in this relationship. Further technological advancements are likely to continue impacting on an increasingly fluid status quo.

We invite scholars from diversedisciplinary backgroundstoauthor chapters forming empirical, theoretical, critical, practice-reflections and policy-based contributions to an edited collection that aims to predict future trends in journalism. The focus isto offer a range of disciplinary perspectives that analyze technological interfaces that connect the practice of journalism to publics (audiences/user engagement/content producers).The underlying question the edited collection seeks to answer is:

How will journalism-audience-relationships be reconfigured in new technological environments?

Potential topics might include (but are not limited to):

• Social and cultural impactsof new journalism technologies
• Role of VR, iDocs, immersive documentary and AI in changing journalism
• Future of big data, social media and journalism
• Market implications of journalism and new user-interfaces
• Immersive technologies and journalistic user experience
• Enhanced audience/prosumer agency
• New, technology-enabled monetization models
• Role of camera drones and satellite data in future journalism
• Audience trust in introducing novel journalistic technologies
• Future of journalism and the digital economy
• Role of new technology in reporting national and international crises
• Future of handheld devices and interactive and converging tech in journalism

We especially encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration,including scholars offering perspectives across journalism,media,policy, business, information technology, computer science and future studies. The editors are willing to help facilitate cross-fertilization forauthors seeking suitable cowriters.

Chapter proposals, in the form of short abstracts (maximum 400 words), should be sent to ville.manninen@uwasa.fi by May 8th 2020. The abstracts should clearly outline the content of the chapter, including methodology and data where applicable. The submission should also include a brief introduction tothe author(s) (excluded from word limit).

Acceptance will be communicated to prospective authors by the end of May.

Full chapters, approximately 4000 words each,are due by January 2021. The anticipated publication date of the book is early 2022.

The book will be edited by Dr Ville Manninen,Dr Mari K. Niemi, both of University of Vaasa, and Dr Anthony Ridge-Newmanof Liverpool Hope University.It is part of a Helsingin Sanomat Foundation funded project, Disrupting the media scene, jointly conducted by University of Vaasa and Åbo Akademi’s Experience Lab.

Twitter: @Media_Futures

Editors:

Dr Ville Manninenis a researcher at University of Vaasa’s InnoLab. His previous work has focused on the journalism-audience relationship in online journalism. Currently he is working on two research projects, one on disruptive technologies in journalism, and one on the use of drones and satellite imagery in Finnish newspapers. Villehas also worked as a journalist in seven Finnish newspapers.

Dr (Docent) Mari K. Niemi is the Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab, which is an open, multidisciplinary research platform part of the University of Vaasa. Both the platform and Maripersonally are engaged with numerous research projects on novel technologies (e.g. blockchains and satellites) and their business applications. Mari’s earlier work also encompasses studies on political communication, media and populism.

Dr Anthony Ridge-Newmanis a Senior Lecturer in Media and Communication at Liverpool Hope University. His interdisciplinary interests include new media and emerging technologies, and their impact on organizations, society and culture. He has published three books, including 'Cameron's Conservatives and the Internet' (2014)and ‘Reporting the Road to Brexit’ (2018). In 2019, he gave invited talks at Oxford, Melbourne and Australian National universities. Anthony has industry experience as a former journalist and news editor.