Epilogue: Newsmaking on participatory sociotechnical foundations

In this epilogue, we look back at the contributions to this volume which have shown how some newsmakers embrace the idea of collaborating while others are more cautious in reaching out. There seems to be, however, simply no avoiding participation. We explore whether this means giving up, or at least redistributing, control. In doing so, we also point to a lacuna in this volume, as it is invariably on journalists and other traditional newsmakers whom we focus, rather than those who fall outside traditional professional categories. We examine how stable the relationships in collaborative newsmaking really are and, zooming in on the ambivalent notion of collusion, how the contemporary design of newsmaking both enables positive participation and enforces unwanted forms of engagement. We conclude by reflecting on how participation, engagement and collaboration are impacting other fields of society. The chapter points to the need for critical reflection on the limits of participation and to new routes for further research