Emergent interactive features in websites: analysis of online editions of six Indian newspapers. Issue 1 (3rd April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kumar, Anoop; Mohamed Haneef, M. Shuaib
• Is Part Of: Media Asia. Volume 46:Issue 1/2(2019)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 52
• Publication Date: 2019-04-03
• Subjects: Interactivity -- participatory culture -- citizen journalism -- online news -- mobile and social media -- Domingo's typology of interactivity; Mass media -- Asia -- Periodicals; Médias -- Asie -- Périodiques; Mass media; Asia; Massacommunicatie; MASS COMMUNICATION; COMMUNICATION RESEARCH; ASIA; Periodicals; 302.23095
• DOI: 10.1080/01296612.2020.1764720
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0129-6612

Abstract

Abstract : Drawing on the theories of new media and Domingo's typology of interactivity, this paper examines the presence of interactive and participatory features on the websites of six Indian national dailies. The analysis reveals that newspapers offered its readers/users a wide variety of interactive features to "digitally manage" their "news environment." Presence of features such as interactive polling, voting and star-grading media text, commenting and flagging a comment for error and abuse inter alia enabled readers/users to annotate the news content and provide feedback. Online forums, blogs, comment threads and other interactive features present on the website are affordances that are capable of fostering dialogue between user-user, user-machine and user-journalist. However, interactive features facilitating citizen journalism was not as ubiquitous as other dimensions on the websites of the newspapers studied. Out of six, only one newspaper had a dedicated section where readers/citizens could submit news of their neighborhood.