Online newspapers

Abstract

This entry discusses recent scholarship on the production and consumption of online newspapers. The analysis of production dynamics reveals the main challenges faced by news organizations to generate revenue and to innovate as they move online. It also discusses various factors that have shaped how news organizations have dealt with the internet, and some of the consequences of this approach for news production practices and professional development. Scholarly analyses of consumption issues introduce two important discussions about the contemporary development of online news: whether news consumption complements or displaces traditional news media, and whether it results in audience fragmentation or homogenization. This body of work also illuminates some consequences of online news consumption for democracy. Building on this assessment, the entry concludes by considering some main implications for studies on online newspapers and suggests various areas for further research.