Challenges and Prospects of Online Journalism in India

Over the last ten years, there has been a massive rise in the accessibility of mobile internet technology. Almost everyone you see around you seems to have a mobile phone and in most cases these are usually smart phones. As a result, even media has to change in order to meet the changing needs of society. This is the platform where Online Journalism can make a truly significant mark.

Online Journalism in India receives a facelift every time that a new mobile-based news-app is launched. These apps constantly develop new forms of content that are engaging and can keep their audience informed and entertained according to the changes in their likes and tastes.

The problem arises with the funding of Online Journalism in India. It is very difficult for budding online journalism platforms to compete against established national news houses and even international channels . This is because of the dedicated customer-base of established media houses.

A big part of the literate Indian population leans towards the more traditional forms of journalism- from newspapers, news journals and even broadcast mediums such as radio and television. Although Online Journalism reaches out to the the upper middle class and is only growing in its reach, there is a long road in it's journey to reach the wider Indian audience that are digitally disconnected.

Online journalism is making a massive impact. Online Journalism promises tremendous speed, interactivity, hypertextuality, pagination, multimediality and archivability. It allows room for elaborated opinion, online discussion and feedback.  The public becomes more involved in the process rather than being mere spectators. Social happenings, political movements and changes, government processes etc are now more clearly explained and better understood by people. This aides in the democratic process and thus makes Online Journalism a valuable tool for India.
The future is bright for online journalism in India. Although there are challenges and road blocks, the prospects for its growth are ever increasing. As the Indian population evolves and changes, so improves the potential of online journalism in India.