[Commlist] CfP: Automation and data-driven journalism beyond the Western world

CfP: Automation and data-driven journalism beyond the Western world – 
Online conference May 5–6 2021

The research project ‘Sustainable journalism for the algorithmic future’ 
in partnership with the Aleksanteri Institute and Swedish School of 
Social Sciences of the University of Helsinki invite the submission of 
papers to be presented at the online conference ‘Automation and 
data-driven journalism beyond the Western world: actors, practices, and 
socio-political impact’.

Algorithmic systems and other data-driven practices exert increasing 
influence over today’s societies, reshaping how social and economic 
systems function. AI and algorithmic systems are implemented in 
newsrooms at various stages of the workflow. On social media platforms, 
that form an increasingly central node in news consumption, algorithms 
not only generate news feeds based on our acquaintances’ actions and 
advertisers’ preferences but also perform as actors with their own judgment.

Current scholarly debate on these issues prioritizes and builds upon 
empirical studies conducted in democratic, Western contexts. Much less 
is known about the drivers of digital innovation uptake and its 
socio-political impact in other political and cultural contexts, and 
this is problematic. Countries such as China, Russia, India, Brazil, 
South Africa and South Korea do implement global or introduce their own 
AI-driven tools in their news media. This challenges the mediated 
reality they produce and can, in turn, affect global media agendas.

This online conference strives to place the discussion of automation and 
data-driven journalism beyond the Western and Anglophone world. We build 
upon previous research demonstrating that media innovation and its 
adoption develop differently depending on the specific characteristics 
of media systems and markets. Understanding the algorithmic turn in 
journalism as a socially constructed process – dependent on a country’s 
journalistic culture, news media’s formal and informal institutions , 
and the societal role of media – we propose an alternative list of 
questions to be added to the discussion e.g.: When the main media 
outlets are owned or controlled by the state, who benefits from the 
automation of media processes, and in what way? When censorship and 
self-censorship are embedded into journalist professional culture, will 
the implementation of algorithmic systems lead to more freedom and 
independence of journalists, or vice versa? What is the importance of 
algorithmic systems in spreading and amplifying propaganda and 
disinformation in different media systems?

We welcome both disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives and 
studies employing various social scientific methods, including 
comparative case-studies, ethnography, socio-legal, and STS studies. No 
payment from the authors will be required.

Submissions could address, but are not limited to, the following areas:

- The effects of algorithmic and AI-driven tools on professional 
practices and routines in newsrooms;

- Media interlopers and newcomers to the media industry – from IT 
developers in newsrooms to the role of big technological companies;

- Implications of AI and data-driven journalism on the public value of 
news media;

- Disinformation, fake news and fact checking;

- The influence of global social media platforms and their algorithmic 
recommender systems on media outlets;

- Robotised, algorithmic, augmented, computational, data-driven and 
other innovative forms of journalism: challenges and opportunities 
across the globe.

We accept two types of submissions:

- Individual paper submissions should be written in English and contain 
a clear outline of the argument, theoretical framework, methodology and 
results. Abstracts should be between 250 and 500 words.

- Panel proposals should be written in English and consist of a panel 
rationale (300 words) and abstracts of three papers (max. 250 words per 
paper).

Please submit your proposal through the submission portal:

- 
https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/Automation_and_datadriven_journalism_beyond_the_Western_world_actors_practices_and_sociopolitical_impact_8402 
<https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/Automation_and_datadriven_journalism_beyond_the_Western_world_actors_practices_and_sociopolitical_impact_8402> 


Deadline for paper and panel submissions:

- February 15 2021 23:59 UTC+2

Selections results:

- March 15 2021

Conference will be organized as online event. The hosts will strive to 
accommodate participants’ respective time zones. The event is hosted by 
the University of Helsinki and organised by Doctor Olga Dovbysh 
(Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki), PhD student Hanna 
Tuulonen (Swedish School of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki) and 
Doctor Mariëlle Wijermars (Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki 
and University of Maastricht).

Should you have any questions about the conference, please contact Olga 
Dovbysh: olga.dovbysh [at] helsinki [dot] fi or check the conference 
website for full CfP https://blogs.helsinki.fi/automation-in-media/ 
<https://blogs.helsinki.fi/automation-in-media/>

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