AbstractsMedical & Health Science

The sourcing of amateur photographs in the professional news media

by Kathrin Schmieder




Institution: Swinburne University of Technology
Department: Faculty of Health, Arts and Design
Degree: PhD
Year: 2015
Keywords: Sourcing; Sources; Amateur photography; Photos; Photographs; Amateurs; Non-professionals; Professional news media; News industry; Citizen journalism; Eyewitness photographs; Participatory media practice; Participatory journalism; User generated content; UGC; Photojournalism; Visual journalism; Online media; Print media; Mass media; Communication
Record ID: 1048886
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/395832


Abstract

The thesis investigates the significance of amateur photography for the professional news media by examining when, how and why amateur photographs are sourced and published in the news. Thus, the thesis addresses a shift in photographic production, distribution and style that has been influenced by the wide-scale presence of amateur content online. Theoretically, this phenomenon calls into question the photojournalist's privileged claim to the visual representation of events, and what qualifies as history-making documentation within the public imaginary. The thesis contributes to debates on the future of the news industry and the professional approach to content-making in the context of today's changing media landscape.