Breaking News? How the Smartphone Changed Journalism

Imagine a world without journalism. Without reporters to interrogate the flow of events, and media platforms to spread their stories far and wide. How would this transform your experience of the world? How would it change you? Imagine life without any sense of what is happening in the world—without an understanding of our common moment, and the common dramas uniting cities, nations, and the planet. Imagine life without a culture of inquiry and interrogation, without provocations, discussions and debates about the meaning of passing events, without a chance to form an opinion on what is happening today.

Imagine life without any perception of different points of view. How would you see the fault-lines in society if journalism did not reveal political differences and the constant struggle for justice and rights? Journalism makes the invisible visible. It may be possible to imagine a world, but it is impossible to imagine our world, without it.

Now, imagine a world without your smartphone. This device is everywhere and everyone seems to have one. Billions in use and embedded within our contemporary culture as an integral part of everyday life. Your phone provides an instant connection to e-mail, social networks and live TV. This device has rapidly developed from being an adjunct accessory into an essential tool and extension of self. Today, the smartphone has been embraced by, and is a witness to, a new age of journalism.

We invite you to explore the role of the smartphone in these changing dynamics, as both a catalyst and a cause, a blessing and a curse. Join us for Breaking News? How the Smartphone Changed Journalism.