[Air-L] CfP: Journal of Digital Media & Policy (Special Issue: Digital Media, Public Policy and Covid-19)

[Michael Klontzas]

*Call for Papers: Journal of Digital Media & Policy *

Special Issue: Digital Media, Public Policy and Covid-19

Special Issue Editors: Jock Given, Petros Iosifidis, Michael Klontzas

The Covid-19 pandemic presents a challenge for researchers in various 
fields, including medicine, business and multi-lateral organisations. 
Yet, it also heightens the challenges facing media and communications 
organisations and journalists, including trust and information accuracy. 
In a time of uncertainty, digital media play a crucial role in shaping 
public policy, informing the public with useful, checked and scrutinized 
stories, reliable headlines and continuous updates. Media organizations 
proactively educate and inform the public, support public information 
campaigns and highlight what would need to happen in a national 
emergency. Yet, a pressing issue with modern-day, online media is the 
spread of misinformation not only in political and social spheres but 
also in healthcare. Governments, civil society organizations, media 
firms themselves and the general public can join forces for accurate and 
timely information-sharing, and meanwhile can prove to be highly 
effective for policy-making. Critically, new initiatives are springing 
from international, regional and national contexts, often in response to 
problems of harmful content and behaviour. However, critical questions 
need to be addressed concerning the accountability, inclusivity and 
diversity of these strategies.

This special issue considers the role of digital media in forming public 
policy in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. The special issue brings 
together scholars of communication and media, political economics, 
policy and technology to debate the many ways in which media governance 
is taking shape worldwide. The special issue is tightly held together on 
industry and communication policy.

Therefore, contributors are invited to address issues such as:

• digital media policies, especially policy on Covid-19 in different 
national and regional contexts
• governments’ interactions with media organizations and platforms
• suitable controls in emergencies, including Covid-19
• policies to balance information and freedom of expression with 
misinformation and rumours
• implications for future public policy.

Deadlines Abstracts of 400 words to be received by Monday 25 May 2020, 
and full manuscripts of 6–8,000 words, including refs, by Friday 4 
September 2020 in order to be sent out for review. Peer-reviewed 
manuscripts will need to be with the Editors by Friday 9 October 2020 
and final decisions/articles to be sent to the publisher by Tuesday 1 
December 2020.

All submissions should be sent via email attachment to Petros Iosifidis 
(p.iosifidis at city.ac.uk), Jock Given (jgiven at swin.edu.au) and Michael 
Klontzas (m.klontzas at hud.ac.uk).

We will also consider relevant short articles and commentaries with a 
policy focus of between 1,500–2,000 words.

For more information about the Call for Papers, click here >> 
https://www.intellectbooks.com/asset/48232/1/CfP_JDMP_may_2020.pdf