Redefining the Concept of ‘Parajournalism’ in the Age of Social Media

The aim of this work is to redefine the concept of ‘parajournalism’ in relation to the transformations that characterise contemporary information — in particular those generated by the progressive shift of information itself on social media. We will analyse the main meanings attributed to the term ‘parajournalism’, emphasising how this term generally refers to a type of journalism that is characterised by the marked intervention of subjective opinions and perceptions, as well as to a ‘second-rate’ journalism. We will then try to demonstrate how the more appropriate meaning of ‘parajournalism’ emerges from the analysis and comparison with the so-called ‘paraliterature’. The main studies on paraliterature show that, starting in the 16th century, it also included the first forms of journalistic communication. These publications were characterised by content and stylistic forms similar to those of contemporary social media journalism. We will illustrate how the connections between today's parajournalism and paraliterature also relate to the role of these communicative forms for mass literacy. Just as paraliterature and the first forms of journalistic communication played a fundamental role in expanding the public sphere, parajournalism today plays a decisive role in rendering information on issues of public interest available to the masses.