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28 May 2021

Great discussions characterised DataPublics ICA 'WatchParty'

Today 20 researchers gathered at Hotel Ottilia to discuss how to approach the datafication of journalism and its publics based on presentations from this year’s virtual ICA conference.

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DATAPUBLICS - Transforming Journalism and Audiences in the age of datafication (Research Project)

There was a constant buzzing at the four tables where 20 researchers today discussed several sides of datafication and its effects on media and the formation of publics. The occasion was this year’s ICA conference, which as last year has been made virtual, as the DataPublics team on Friday the 28^th hosted a so-called ‘WatchParty’ where researchers from the Copenhagen area was invited to watch and discuss selected presentations from the conference.

"It was interesting to gain insight into international research and very beneficial to finally meet in person again and discuss with peers from different universities in Denmark. I was very inspired!" Said researcher from Roskilde University Maria Bendix Wittchen in the end of the event.

Datafication as the key theme
Four questions set the frame for the program of the WatchParty, which were inspired by the sup questions guiding the project. In four sessions the invited researchers, therefore, first watched selected presentations from the ICA conference and discussed respectively; what the role of platforms is in today’s media environment, what AI means for the future of journalism, how datafication is affecting the formation of publics and lastly how datafied media environments can be approached methodologically.

“It was great to have the opportunity to discuss the presentations from ICA with fellow researchers who share our interest in datafication of both the media and its publics. Both the presentations and the following discussions were very fruitful and we now have a lot of new inspiration moving forward with the project,” said DataPublics PI Jannie Møller Hartley in the end of the day.