Transformation of newspaper journalists to civic journalists in Thailand in convergent media age

Abstract

The research aimed to explain how Thai newspapers change themselves from traditional to convergent media, to compare roles of convergent journalists and traditional newspaper journalists, to explore how newspaper journalists transform themselves to civic journalists in convergent media age, and to propose an appropriate civic journalism model for newspapers in Thailand.

The researcher studied five reported news stories submitted for the best news organized by The Thai Journalists Association (TJA) or Thai Society of Environment Journalists (Thaisej). The five case studies were the Gobbling of Land in Khao Phaeng by Krungthep Turakij Newspaper (2010), the Expose of Diploma Trade at Isan University by Matichon Newspaper (2011), the Fighting for Land at Tablan National Park by Thai Rath Newspaper (2011), Relief of Mae Wang - The River of Life in Lampang by Lanna Post Newspaper (Lampang) (2013), and Wat Saket Temple Abbot’s Scandal over unusual wealth by Daily News Newspaper (2014).

The researcher collected data and information by analyzing of texts, conducting in-depth interview with key informants; newspaper executives, news editors, chief news, and journalists who covered news, on-site observation, and interviewed with academic scholars and veteran journalists in Thailand and overseas. Using qualitative research, the researcher analyzed the results and discussion through a “descriptive” method.

Key findings were 1) Traditional newspapers have integrated with new media to become convergent media in order to differentiate their contents from alternative media as well as to maintain readers. 2) Newspaper journalists have adopted themselves to become convergent journalists and changed their routine working and personal traits in response the change of media landscape. 3) Newspaper journalists transformed themselves to civic journalists, meaning that they played greater role as civilians in raising problems and helping community solve problems. 4) A civic journalism model demonstrated that civic journalists worked closer with citizens and focused more on investigative and interpretative news on public problems and applicable journalism proficiencies.

The findings explained that civic journalism remained important and would continue be mandatory for Thai society in current overload information and convergent media age. In the Thai context, citizen reporters delivered professional journalists more volume of first-hand information, news hint, and raised public agenda compared to pre-convergent age as that journalist were about to report issues when they received an assignment from editorial. Many civic journalists worked with people through crowd sourcing and led community members to solve their problems. Civic journalists in overseas often raise community issues ahead of citizen.