The role of traditional media has been changing rapidly since the rise of the internet and social media. But how exactly is journalism evolving, and how are journalists adapting? What impact does this have on how we consume news, and how do we protect ourselves from fake news? These are the kinds of questions that guide the research of Mijke Slot, assistant professor at the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication.
Lina, a 17-year-old, hears through a group chat that there’s a protest happening in her city and searches YouTube for footage. She doesn’t use news apps and finds traditional media boring and one-sided. But is it a problem that Lina, in this fictional example, mainly follows news through social media? Is she still well-informed? That is exactly what Slot and PhD candidate Nadia Mentzel hope to explore in the coming years. “You’d think everyone has a news app on their phone, but that’s really not the case. At the same time, you can’t avoid the news. It’s everywhere. People talk about it, and you pick up a lot just by scrolling through your social media feed.”
How informed are you, really?
It’s unclear how many people have turned their backs on traditional media, but Slot sees signs that this group is growing. When she asks her students who only read news via social media, many hands go up. One of the key questions in her research is how this way of consuming news affects how informed people are. “It’s not about whether you can name every minister in the government, but it’s about having enough information to navigate society. That you understand what’s happening around you and can make informed decisions, like when it’s time to vote.”
Slot also sees that fake news is becoming harder to detect online. “Why do people stop at what’s in their feed? And how can we encourage them to stay curious and critical? These are important questions to explore, and it’s valuable to have this conversation with schools. When you address this in education, you help children grow into responsible news consumers from an early age.”
With or without Meta and X?
Earlier, Slot researched the relationship between journalists and their audience, and the role technology plays in it. One thing that stood out was how little journalists know about who their audience really is. At the same time, they are aware that they need to keep up with the times. Social media is seen as a tool to reach readers, but Slot also sees the downsides. “News organizations are increasingly questioning whether they want to continue using platforms like X and Instagram, especially now that their owners openly support Trump.”
"You can’t avoid the news. It’s everywhere. People talk about it, and you pick up a lot just by scrolling through your social media feed.”
Students come up with creative solutions
For many news organizations, this creates a dilemma, and more of them are considering stepping away from social media. There are alternatives, like Mastodon and Bluesky, which are less politically charged, but they still have relatively few users. As part of a course in the Media and Journalism master’s program, Slot’s students brainstormed possible solutions. Recently, they presented their ideas to the Rotterdam-based news outlet Vers Beton. “They came up with incredibly creative ways to connect with the public. From placing concrete blocks with QR codes to launching pop-up journalism at festivals.”
Supporting journalism
During the presentations, people were taking notes enthusiastically, and even the editor-in-chief was present. Vers Beton mentioned that they hope to implement several of the ideas. They plan to publish a follow-up article about it soon. “I find that really inspiring. It’s such a concrete example of impact. I believe research should always lead to knowledge that’s useful in practice.”
Slot believes we are fortunate to have press freedom in the Netherlands, especially compared to many other countries. At the same time, she sees the media sector struggling with technological developments and the growing reluctance of people to pay for quality journalism. “That’s why I find it so fulfilling to support journalism through research, especially in these challenging times.”
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The ESHCC Impact Series is a collection of interviews with researchers from ESHCC who are making an impact in various ways. For more information, please contact ESHCC’s press officer, Julia Wetsteijn, at wetsteijn@eshcc.eur.nl.
