Multi-Platform Journalism: Opportunities and Challenges

Multi-platform journalism has developed to serve the needs of readers in the digital age. This provides easier and faster access for readers but also poses many challenges for news agencies in publishing content on digital platforms in general and on social networks in particular.

Inevitable development trend

The development of the Internet and social networks has made it easier for readers to access information through various channels such as online newspapers, news-reading applications, and social media platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Multi-platform journalism provides readers with many choices. For example, readers can easily access e-newspapers on websites or through links on social networks; read, comment or share articles; and interact directly with other readers no matter where they are. Football fans no longer need to sit in front of the TV since they can listen to live commentaries or watch live matches on YouTube.

Diversifying types of information helps newspapers increase readership and advertising revenue

Deputy Editor-in-Chief of VietnamPlus E-newspaper Nguyen Hoang Nhat affirmed that both central and local newspapers need to expand their platform offerings to reach readers, so that where there are readers there are newspapers. As readers go digital, newspapers must also go digital by developing video content on digital platforms, especially on social networks, to promptly satisfy the information needs of readers.

Thanh Nien Newspaper has taken the lead in implementing multi-channel communications, in which websites, mobile applications and social networks are identified as the main platforms. This is to build communities of readers with similar interests in order to provide better support for the marketing and business activities of the newspaper. To increase readership and advertising revenue, newspapers need to diversify the types of information they offer.

Thanh Nien Newspaper has diversified its platform offerings to reach readers through more than 10 news pages and channels on social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Lotus. The newspaper’s Facebook fanpage now has 2.2 million followers. The Business Forum– the Magazine of Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) also implements multi-platform journalism on its website, Facebook fanpage and Youtube. In addition, the magazine regularly organizes forums, seminars and live streams on its website and fanpage to increase interaction with and attract readers.

Methodical multi-channel development strategy needed

News agencies need a methodical multi-channel development strategy to take advantage of the opportunities created by the trend of developing multi-platform journalism. However, the change from “single-platform” to “multi-platform” has also brought significant challenges for news agencies in terms of managing interactions and comments on articles, and infringements of intellectual property rights, as well as complying with the community guidelines of platform providers. In addition, there is the issue of information quality. According to journalist Bui Phu from Thuong Gia Magazine, journalists are often under pressure to keep up with the speed of news dissemination on social networks, face deadlines every day and update information throughout the life of a news story. This raises concerns about the quality of journalistic content.

To ensure opportunities are not missed and limitations caused by multi-channel journalism can be avoided, news agencies need a methodical multi-channel development strategy. According to journalist Do Van Thien, Head of the Multi-platform Television Department - Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper, newspapers must change their mindset about journalistic product production and create and publish content across multiple platforms. Multi-platform journalism must not be separated from the digital transformation plans of newspapers. Furthermore, it is necessary to have a suitable personnel structure for multi-platform development, not only focusing human resources on the content quality as in print and electronic newspapers, but also training employees and hiring suitable candidates to improve the quality of information provided and attract more readers.

By Giang Tu, Vietnam Business Forum