Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The digital transformation has profoundly reshaped journalism and media industries, generating both crises and opportunities. Economic pressures, platformization, audience fragmentation, and the rise in artificial intelligence and algorithmic mediation have disrupted traditional structures of production and circulation while fostering new forms of creativity, participation, and engagement. These shifts also expose new vulnerabilities, such as the amplification of misinformation, polarization, and hate speech, which challenge the ethical and social responsibilities of media actors in the digital age.

This Topic, entitled “Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries”, seeks to explore how different kinds of crises—economic, political, technological, or epistemic—act as catalysts for change across journalism, entertainment, and interactive media sectors. Such transformations also exert a direct influence on users, who, through processes of empowerment and the capacity to reach mass audiences via digital platforms, assume an increasingly active and participatory role within the contemporary hybrid media system. Equally, it aims to examine how emerging opportunities, including those enabled by AI, redefine professional practices, industrial logics, creative processes, and audience relationships. Contributions may address transformations in news and entertainment ecosystems, platform governance, creative labor, automation, gaming and transmedia storytelling, datafication, or the political economy of digital culture.

We welcome the submission of both theoretical and empirical research that offers critical, comparative, or interdisciplinary perspectives on the evolution of journalism and media industries in times of change. We look forward to receiving contributions that expand the dialogue on how crises, innovations, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the future of digital communication, culture, and media.

Prof. Dr. Koldobika Meso-Ayerdi
Dr. Javier Odriozola Chéné
Dr. Rosa Pérez Arozamena
Dr. Ana Serrano-Tellería
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Behavioral Sciences behavsci	3.2	4.1	2011	27.7 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Journalism and Media journalmedia	2.5	3.2	2020	27.5 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Social Sciences socsci	2.0	3.5	2012	30.3 Days	CHF 1800	Submit

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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All Behavioral Sciences Journalism and Media Social Sciences

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21 pages, 3113 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Framing Artificial Intelligence in Journalism: Dominant Frames and Systematic Omissions in Spanish Digital News Outlets from Pre-Boom to Implementation (2022–2024)

by Javier Odriozola-Chéné, Rosa Pérez-Arozamena and Javier Díaz-Noci

Soc. Sci. 2026, 15(9), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15090610 - 9 Sep 2026

Viewed by 404

Abstract

This study analyses how Spanish digital news outlets covered the arrival of artificial intelligence in journalism and the social impact they attributed to it. That general objective is pursued through four specific research objectives rather than through hypotheses in a descriptive and exploratory [...] Read more.

This study analyses how Spanish digital news outlets covered the arrival of artificial intelligence in journalism and the social impact they attributed to it. That general objective is pursued through four specific research objectives rather than through hypotheses in a descriptive and exploratory design that traces the emergence and distribution of media attention, identifies dominant and omitted issue-specific frames, and assesses their association with journalistic variables. A longitudinal quantitative content analysis covers 242 news items from ten leading Spanish digital outlets, coded in their entirety rather than sampled, across the three phases of AI’s public visibility between 2022 and 2024. Coverage follows a compressed attention cycle in which enthusiasm and alarm unfold simultaneously rather than consecutively. Dominant frames centre on generative AI in the processing phase, credibility, ethics in the use of data, legal responsibility and information quality, and timeliness and accuracy as its main advantage and disadvantage. Systematically omitted are the effects of AI on the normative functions of journalism. The main source is the variable most closely associated with these patterns: expert sources broaden the range of frames, whereas the overrepresented media-sector actors narrow it. Spanish digital media thus construct AI as an operational rather than a democratic issue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries)

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25 pages, 785 KB  

Open AccessSystematic Review

Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and Media Practice: A Systematic Review of Applications, Limitations, and Research Approaches

by Gui Jun, Nasrullah Dharejo and Mumtaz Aini Alivi

Journal. Media 2026, 7(3), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7030164 - 7 Aug 2026

Viewed by 1107

Abstract

This systematic review investigates the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in journalism and media practice from 2020 to 2026. Following PRISMA guidelines, we analysed 121 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science using a multi-method approach that combined [...] Read more.

This systematic review investigates the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in journalism and media practice from 2020 to 2026. Following PRISMA guidelines, we analysed 121 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science using a multi-method approach that combined qualitative thematic analysis, structural topic modelling (STM), and bibliometric network analysis. Four primary research domains emerged: news production and automation (38.0%), audience perception and content analysis (24.8%), ethical and legal considerations (19.8%), and meta-research and implementation studies (17.4%). Publication output accelerated sharply from 2023 onward, driven by the emergence of large language models and generative AI. The STM analysis confirmed the four-domain structure and revealed that legal-regulatory vocabulary pervades the literature across all categories, indicating a field-wide preoccupation with the institutional implications of AI. Key findings demonstrate that successful AI adoption depends on workflow redesign and human–machine collaboration rather than full automation; that audience evaluations of AI-generated content vary significantly across cultural contexts, with the machine heuristic—originating from Sundar’s MAIN model—playing a central mediating role; and that copyright frameworks for AI-generated news remain contested across jurisdictions. This study develops an integrated theoretical framework that maps directional relationships among the four research domains, identifies cultural context and disclosure practices as key moderators, and generates testable propositions for future investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries)

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19 pages, 904 KB  

Open AccessSystematic Review

AI in Journalism: A Systematic Review of Media Literacy, Competencies, and Algorithmic Engagement

by Santiago Tejedor, Laura Cervi, Beatriz Villarejo-Carballido and José Juan Verón

Journal. Media 2026, 7(3), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7030150 - 23 Jul 2026

Viewed by 1421

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining journalism, transforming news production, distribution, and consumption. Despite the growing adoption of AI in newsrooms, academic research remains fragmented and lacks a comprehensive overview of global trends, particularly regarding its implications for media literacy and disinformation. This article [...] Read more.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining journalism, transforming news production, distribution, and consumption. Despite the growing adoption of AI in newsrooms, academic research remains fragmented and lacks a comprehensive overview of global trends, particularly regarding its implications for media literacy and disinformation. This article addresses this gap through a systematic literature review of publications on AI in journalism between 2020 and 2024, based on Scopus and Web of Science. The analysis shows a significant increase in research output since 2023, alongside a strong geographical concentration in Europe and North America, with limited representation from the Global South. The results identify six key thematic areas: automation of news production, algorithmic personalization, newsroom integration, ethical and regulatory challenges, disinformation, and journalism education. Across these themes, the findings reveal a shift from a predominantly technocentric perspective toward a competency-based approach, with increasing attention to media literacy. While AI is associated with efficiency and innovation, the literature consistently highlights concerns related to transparency, bias, editorial accountability, and the transformation of professional roles, as well as risks linked to misinformation and declining public trust. Importantly, the review shows that media literacy—particularly AI literacy—emerges as a transversal dimension, emphasizing the need for competencies that enable journalists and audiences to critically understand, evaluate, and engage with algorithmic systems. The study also identifies key gaps, including limited longitudinal research, scarce audience-centered approaches, insufficient interdisciplinary collaboration, and persistent deficiencies in AI-related training. By foregrounding literacy as a central analytical dimension, this article advances a more holistic understanding of AI in journalism and contributes to the development of a globally inclusive and competency-oriented research agenda. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries)

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23 pages, 358 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Audience-Persona-Driven Approaches to Humanitarian Disaster: Reporting in Narasi’s Aceh Flood Coverage

by Rulli Nasrullah, Amin Shabana, Muh. Yahya Saraka, Topikurohman Topikurohman, Jamaluddin Djunaid and Jumroni Sulaeman

Journal. Media 2026, 7(2), 92; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7020092 - 30 Apr 2026

Viewed by 1224

Abstract

This study explores how audience-persona-driven approaches enhance the understanding of humanitarian disaster reporting, using Narasi’s coverage of the Aceh floods as a focal case. By examining how humanitarian narratives are constructed and interpreted across digital platforms, the analysis highlights the ways audiences engage [...] Read more.

This study explores how audience-persona-driven approaches enhance the understanding of humanitarian disaster reporting, using Narasi’s coverage of the Aceh floods as a focal case. By examining how humanitarian narratives are constructed and interpreted across digital platforms, the analysis highlights the ways audiences engage emotionally, critically, and civically with crisis reporting. Audience personas—such as helpers, skeptics, and critical citizens—offer a lens for identifying distinct patterns of empathy, solidarity, moral judgment, and demands for accountability. These personas reveal not only how viewers respond to journalistic framing but also how they co-construct meaning through comments, affective expressions, and collective critique. This study demonstrates that Narasi’s reporting activates humanitarian values and fosters participatory public engagement, showing the potential of persona-based analysis to illuminate the complex interplay between narrative framing, paratextual cues, and audience interpretation. Ultimately, this approach underscores the value of integrating audience-centered perspectives into contemporary humanitarian communication research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries)

16 pages, 273 KB  

Open AccessArticle

The Medium’s Agenda or the Audience’s Clicks? Tensions Between Editorial Lines and Audience Interests According to the Editors of Digital Media in Chile

by Francisca Greene González, Eduardo Gallegos Krause and Cristian Muñoz Catalán

Journal. Media 2026, 7(1), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7010057 - 13 Mar 2026

Viewed by 1486

Abstract

This study examines the tension between audience interests and editorial lines in the major national and regional digital media outlets in Chile. It analyzes how editors incorporate metrics and user feedback into content selection and prioritization processes. The sample included the five websites [...] Read more.

This study examines the tension between audience interests and editorial lines in the major national and regional digital media outlets in Chile. It analyzes how editors incorporate metrics and user feedback into content selection and prioritization processes. The sample included the five websites with the largest national reach according to the 2024 ComScore ranking (El Mercurio Online, BioBioChile, La Tercera, Megamedia and Chilevisión), along with digital media outlets from the country’s five most populous cities without counting the capital (La Serena, Rancagua, Antofagasta, Valparaíso, and Temuco). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with directors or editors to assess whether the use of metrics influences journalistic judgment and editorial autonomy. Data were analyzed through a thematic analysis, combining categories drawn from the literature with emergent codes. The findings indicate that audience feedback affects editorial decision-making, although to varying degrees depending on the type of outlet. In national newspapers, a fiduciary vision is more firmly sustained due to greater financial capacity, albeit with internal tensions. In contrast, regional media outlets face greater challenges in maintaining their editorial line in the face of metrics, as lower economic stability and dependence on digital traffic tend to favor dynamics closer to a market-driven model. Although the findings are based on professional discourse and do not include direct observation of production routines, the comparison between national and regional media offers a cross-cutting perspective on editorial autonomy within the Chilean digital media ecosystem, an area that remains underexplored in the country. Overall, the study shows that metrics place pressure on both editorial policy and journalistic practices by requiring a continuous balancing of professional judgment and real-time audience behavior. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Crisis, Opportunity, and the Evolution of Digital Journalism and Media Industries)

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