Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. JOURNALISM Series

The impact of social media on traditional sports journalism

Abstract

The proliferation of social media has led to profound changes in the media field worldwide, and this has initiated a transformation in sports journalism driven by digitalization. New media actors continue to transform traditional sports journalism into processes that can be evaluated both positively and negatively.

This research examined how sports journalism is affected by the digitalization process through social media tools and football journalism. The main motivation of the study is the idea that sports journalism and digitalization have become contemporary research areas over the past decade, and that digital media continues to increase its importance.

In the scope of the study, it can be stated that football journalists are transitioning to a “secondary journalism” position in this new process, which is different from the usual, as football clubs now share important news related to them through their official social media accounts. The purpose of the study is to open a discussion on this concept.

While introducing the concept of “secondary journalism,” the research’s aim is to conceptualize the secondary position journalists face when presenting news to the audience, contrary to the conventional role of being the primary source in determining the agenda and delivering the news. This shift occurs as clubs now share their news with the public through official channels, including special content and professional public relations units' activities.

Football journalists share the news content presented to the public firsthand by the football club, initiating discussions and evaluations by posting this news on their own social media accounts. In this context, the social media accounts managed by the clubs’ professional communication teams are the first to share significant football news with their followers. It is believed that the traditional media habits, where football reporters or journalists were the primary source for accessing news, have evolved into a secondary position, indicating a change in previous media habits.