Journalists' response to integration of mobile journalism (mojo) in a print newsroom

What is it about?

This paper describes how an Indian print newsroom is embracing mobile journalism (mojo) and aiming at transforming "potential mobile journalists" who can produce short videos and live videos using their smartphones as part of organisation's digital-first mandate. Though the organisation has set up a mojo desk, it also aims to spread the skills of mojo in the whole newsroom.

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Why is it important?

This paper is worth reading because: 1) This paper draws on the concept of multi-skilling grounded in convergence studies. This paper posits "incorporation of mobile journalism" in the newsroom and journalistic practices as a strategy of multi-skilling wherein journalists are expected to get trained in videos, social media, mobile journalism, web-publishing among others besides their core obligation (this is print). Multi-skilling has both been en-skilling or up-skilling and de-skilling for journalists. 2) This paper also offers Bourdieusian perspectives. Drawing on Bourdieu's field theory, this paper conceives print journalists as "journalistic field". This paper also talks about three forms of journalistic capital; social capital, cultural capital and symbolic capital. The other main contribution of this paper is that journalists' practical understanding toward changing news ecosystem in the wake of mojo has been framed as "mojo habitus". 3) This paper shows that time-constraint was big concerns for journalists when it came to producing mojo stories.

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