The journalistic courage to be ugly

Abstract #

TikTok’s unique architecture and resulting affordances as a video-centric social media platform shape how journalistic content is produced. When dealing with TikTok’s architecture, a key focus is the platform’s strong emphasis on algorithmic curation, particularly highlighted by the pivotal role of the For You Page. This chapter will describe the affordances emerging from user interactions with this architecture, particularly its distinct aesthetics and genres. For instance, it will be outlined how TikTok’s video editing features have contributed to specific platform aesthetics, which require a certain courage to be ugly. Moreover, the chapter will elucidate the platform’s vernaculars, which can often be characterized as comedic and emotional, but also explanatory and documentary. The contribution aims to offer a comprehensive overview of TikTok’s architecture and its resulting affordances, thereby laying a foundational basis for further investigation into journalistic content on the platform.

Download

Cite