1st Edition

Travel Journalism Informing Tourists in the Digital Age

By Bryan Pirolli Copyright 2019
    196 Pages
    by Routledge

    196 Pages
    by Routledge

    In the last decade, with the success of review sites and online commentaries and the increased accessibility of travel information online, the job of a traditional travel journalist is being challenged. Travel Journalism closely examines the impact of digital media and technology on this specialist area of journalism and how professionals working in travel media today are adapting to it.

    Bryan Pirolli draws on a wealth of professional experience to present both practical guidance and a theoretical analysis of travel journalism. Through interviews with content providers – including journalists and bloggers – the book explores new ways of thinking about this profession. Looking at the relationship between travel journalists, social media and influencers, the book asks how travel journalists might rethink their work for more constructive purposes and how they should respond to innovations like the ever-growing sharing economy. The book also explores how journalistic ethics can be preserved as concerns around 'sponsored content' and 'paid influencers' remain widespread.

    For students and professionals looking to better understand the role of the travel journalist in the digital age, this book is an invaluable resource. Pirolli comprehensively assesses the challenges and the opportunities for success that actors in travel media are now presented with and encourages readers to proactively embrace them.

    Introduction; PART 1: Travel Journalism as Profession; Chapter 1: A Travel Journalism History; Chapter 2: Travel Journalists and Professional Ideology; Chapter 3: Reporting and Newsgathering in a Travel Context; PART 2: Travel Journalism in Practice: Challenges and Changes; Chapter 4: Economics of Travel Journalism Production; Chapter 5: Audience Expectations and Practices Online; Chapter 6: Writing Online: Suggestions and Considerations; Chapter 7: Engaging with User-Generated Content from Twitter to TripAdvisor; Chapter 8: Reporting from Foreign Lands; Chapter 9: Self-Branding the Travel Journalist; PART 3: New Interpretations and Opportunities; Chapter 10: A Constructive Approach to Travel Journalism; Chapter 11: Cultural Representation and Understanding in a Globalized Community; Chapter 12: Travel Journalism and the Sharing Economy: The Case of Airbnbmag; Conclusion

    Biography

    Bryan Pirolli holds a communications PhD and is a researcher with the Sorbonne Nouvelle Institut de la Communication et des Médias, France. He lectured at London College of Communication and Birkbeck College while studying travel media. He has worked as a journalist for publications including CNN Travel and Time Out Paris.

    ‘Pirolli offers a thoughtful guide to travel’s place in journalism and vice versa, as each finds its way in the new world online. With extensive travel experience and wide scholarship, he is uniquely positioned to write a guide to this influential form of media in a globalising world.’

    Andrew Duffy, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

    ‘Digitalization has unsettled travel journalism significantly. New technology, user-generated content and social media influencers challenge the field’s economic models, professional identity and cultural outlook. Bryan Pirolli has produced a comprehensive guide to travel journalism for these turbulent times. His research and discussions help journalists, students and scholars alike to navigate these new media environments, critically reflect on the state of the profession, and proactively engage with its rapid transformations.’

    Elfriede Fürsich, co-editor of Travel Journalism: Exploring Production, Impact and Culture, Department of Communication, University of Pittsburgh, USA