With the emergence of online media as a medium, a new type of media environment is prevailing around the world. In traditional media, institutions are conducting various experiments and research to maintain their existence in this environment. Using new technologies, the journalism process is becoming dynamic, powerful and interactive; various plans and strategies. Along with this, new types and concepts of journalism are being created. How many aspects of journalism have become essential for the media of the 21st century. Professor Allfrend Hermida has revealed these essentials with five important points.
The five types of journalism are:
1. Experimental journalism
2. Real-life experience journalism
3. Explanatory journalism
4. Emotional journalism
5. Economical journalism
1. Experimental journalism:
In recent years, all media outlets, big and small, have tried to explore new topics and approaches in journalism. This experimentation is not only creating new forms of research journalism, but also helping the media survive in the face of various uncertainties. Allfrend Hermida said, Experimentation is becoming far more than just an add-on; it is emerging as a prerequisite to survival at a time of flux and uncertainty.’ Here is a condensed version of the technology-focused explanation:
A . New Storytelling Formats (Interactive, Immersive, Visual-First)
Experimental journalism leverages technology to enhance storytelling beyond traditional text. Journalists use interactive webpages, 3D graphics, and scroll-based tools to engage audiences. Innovations like WebGL, 360° cameras, and VR headsets create immersive experiences, allowing viewers to explore environments and follow visual-first narratives on mobile devices.
B . Emerging Technologies (AI, VR, AR, Data Simulations)
Emerging technologies such as AI, VR, and AR are central to experimental journalism. AI aids in analyzing large datasets and generating news drafts, while VR immerses audiences in recreated events. AR enhances real-world scenes with digital information, and data simulations help visualize complex issues like climate change.
C. Blending Journalism With Art and Design
Modern journalism combines reporting with digital art and multimedia. Collaboration between journalists, designers, and programmers produces visually rich narratives using tools like Blender and Adobe After Effects. This fusion makes journalism more creative and appealing to diverse audiences.
D . Audience Engagement Through Participation
Technology enables audiences to actively participate in storytelling. Crowdsourcing apps and citizen journalism platforms allow users to contribute data and share real-time information. Interactive polls and AR filters involve viewers in shaping stories, fostering community-driven journalism.
E . Navigating Ethical Boundaries (AI Transparency, Misinformation Control)
With new technologies come ethical challenges. Journalists use tools for deepfake detection and image verification, maintaining transparency about AI usage. Some newsrooms employ blockchain for content verification, helping uphold trust and integrity in journalism amidst rising misinformation.
2. Real Creative Journalism
Virtual reality (VR) has transformed journalism by turning news stories into immersive, lifelike experiences. VR is a computer-generated 3D environment that people can explore and interact with using headsets and motion sensors. Instead of just reading or watching news, audiences can now step inside a story—walking through a war zone, experiencing climate impacts, or witnessing historical events recreated with digital precision.
Today’s VR journalism uses photorealistic graphics, AI-generated environments, and 360° live video streaming for real-time coverage. Newsrooms combine drone footage, satellite images, and AI reconstruction to build highly accurate virtual scenes. This new form of creative journalism helps audiences understand complex issues more deeply by experiencing them firsthand.
3. Explanatory journalism:
Explanatory journalism is a type of journalism that presents news with interpretation, analysis, and context in addition to simply reporting it. It is not just the information itself, but how it is interpreted and analyzed. It makes it easier to comprehend the role of explanatory journalism. The digital platform of the Vox Media Group in the United States, Haqq, and Syria, a well-known media outlet, are excellent examples of explanatory and investigative journalism.
4. Emotional Journalism
Emotional journalism is a type of reporting that presents news in a way that deeply connects with the audience’s feelings while still maintaining truth, morality, and objectivity. Instead of just giving facts, the story highlights human experiences, personal voices, and emotional moments so that readers or viewers can feel the impact of the event. It uses real emotions—not exaggeration—to make the audience understand the human side of the news.
In 2015, newspapers and TV channels around the world published the heartbreaking photo and story of Alan Kurdi, a 3-year-old Syrian boy who drowned while fleeing war with his family.
This coverage was factual and ethical, but the emotional storytelling made the world feel the human tragedy behind the refugee crisis. After the story spread, many countries increased support for refugees, showing how emotional journalism can create real social impact.
5. Economical Journalism:
After the advent of technology-based mass media, newspapers in particular are facing financial losses. The financial loss is the decrease in advertising, and the media are making various opening attempts. Due to the attempt to compensate for the loss, mainly experimental, real-life experience, creative, explanatory, emotional or economical journalism practices have been created. It is important to consider how to do experimental or experiential journalism using current and emerging technologies. In the virtual reality world, real-life news stories can be better understood through Google Code board or View Master VR headsets. Journalism is still a high-investment business.
However, it has adopted frugal strategies while paying journalists a fair price for their work. The plan is not to economize on content creation, but to use current technology at a lower cost and reduce costs in other areas. Alfred Hermida said, The realities of an industry mean there is an imperative to pursue economical journalism, be it through increased collaborations, smarter development of resources, or the use of readily available Technology.”
In the 21st century, journalism must embrace experimentation, technology, and human-centered storytelling to stay relevant and impactful. These five essentials—rooted in creativity, ethics, and efficiency—ensure that modern media can survive, adapt, and meaningfully connect with audiences in a rapidly changing digital world.
