Multiple Media or Multiple Modalities? Redefining Multimedia as a Framework for Journalism Scholars

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Journalism Studies Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Together with other buzzwords like interactivity and hypertext, multimedia is one of the most studied online features in contemporary journalism studies. However, the concept of multimedia is too ambiguous to adequately analyse contemporary journalism platforms. The concept of multimedia is used both as the combination of media as well as a mix of modalities. This paper questions the current definitions of multimedia and argues that multimodality, a concept stemming from linguistics and semiotics, more adequately grasps the integrated use of different forms of presentation. Grounded in theory, a distinction is made between both concepts, and the argument is put forward that multimedia may be referred to when describing the combined action of multiple online media platforms. It is argued that future research in the domain of journalism studies may benefit from taking this difference between multimedia and multimodality into account.

Author

• Michael Opgenhaffen, U of Leuven