News-Game Journalism:
History, Current Use, And Possible Futures
Author: Jonathon Burton
abstract
As electronic computer and console games
gain a larger share of the entertainment industry, more
communications organizations are turning to this new form
to promote, advertise and inform their audience, particularly
through online delivery. Within the online news industry,
interactive graphics are becoming a viable way to explain
complex information and to contextualise reporting. At
the same time, several games developers have produced
games that reflect real world events, using elements of
journalistic practice to inform their game design. This
paper examines possible uses for games as news delivery
systems used alongside current online journalism practices,
exploring the similarities between games and interactive
news graphics. The discussion then turns to current newsroom
practices and possible futures for using games as news
delivery tools.
The Australian
Journal of Emerging Technologies and Society
examines the social implications of emerging technologies,
from mobile Internet and wireless technologies to biotechnology and cybernetics.
