Technology journalism is the genre of reporting that concerns the development, marketing, and application of

technology Technology is the application of Conceptual model, conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible too ...

. The field covers a wide variety of topics, including communications,

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

, the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

, the IT industry,

scientific research The scientific method is an empirical method for acquiring knowledge that has been referred to while doing science since at least the 17th century. Historically, it was developed through the centuries from the ancient and medieval world. The ...

robotics Robotics is the interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. Within mechanical engineering, robotics is the design and construction of the physical structures of robots, while in computer s ...

, and laws and policies regarding the digital world. Many news organizations feature prominent coverage of technology, especially as pertains to the economic, political, and cultural role of

Big Tech Big Tech, also referred to as the Tech Giants or Tech Titans, is a collective term for the largest and most influential technology companies in the world. The label draws a parallel to similar classifications in other industries, such as "Big Oi ...

companies and products.

History

Early developments in the

Information Age The Information Age is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during the Industrial Revolution, to an economy centered on information technology ...

were often covered by established news organizations under the umbrella of science journalism. The ''MIT Technology Review'', first published in 1899 as the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

's alumni magazine, began pivoting toward objective reporting on the technology industry in the late 1920s. As inventions such as

personal computers A personal computer, commonly referred to as PC or computer, is a computer designed for individual use. It is typically used for tasks such as Word processor, word processing, web browser, internet browsing, email, multimedia playback, and PC ...

and

data storage Data storage is the recording (storing) of information (data) in a storage medium. Handwriting, phonographic recording, magnetic tape, and optical discs are all examples of storage media. Biological molecules such as RNA and DNA are con ...

devices became more ubiquitous and commercially accessible, some journalists began focusing on the nascent computer industry. Early tech reporters included

John Battelle John Linwood Battelle (born November 4, 1965) is an entrepreneur, author and journalist. Best known for his work creating media properties, Battelle helped launch ''Wired'' in the 1990s and launched '' The Industry Standard ''during the dot-com ...

, John Markoff, Kara Swisher, Walt Mossberg, and

Steven Levy Steven Levy (born 1951) is an American journalist and editor at large for '' Wired'' who has written extensively for publications on computers, technology, cryptography, the internet, cybersecurity, and privacy. He is the author of the 1984 boo ...

. In the 1980s and 1990s, some

magazines A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

were founded to report specifically on technology, often from a consumer orientation; these included ''

PCMag ''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and continues . Overview ''PC Magaz ...

'', ''Wired'', and ''Sound & Vision'', which focused specifically on

digital television Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using Digital signal, digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an ...

. Some early exclusively digital publications focused on technology, such as ''

Gizmodo ''Gizmodo'' () is a design, technology, science, and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton. ''Gizmodo'' also includes the sub-blogs ''io9'' and ''Earther'', which focus on pop ...

'' and ''

TechCrunch TechCrunch is an American global online newspaper focusing on topics regarding high tech, high-tech and Startup company, startup companies. It was founded in June 2005 by Archimedes Ventures, led by partners Michael Arrington and Keith Teare. I ...

''. Technology journalism has grown in prominence in the 21st century. Most major news organizations have a desk dedicated to technology, and some operate bureaus based in

Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that is a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical area of the Santa Clara Valley ...

, where many technology companies are headquartered. Tech journalists have broken major stories that shaped public perception of the industry and led to significant court cases, including

John Carreyrou John Carreyrou () is a French-American investigative reporter at ''The New York Times''. Carreyrou worked for ''The Wall Street Journal'' for 20 years between 1999 and 2019 and has been based in Brussels, Paris, and New York City. He won the Pul ...

's investigation into the medical startup Theranos and CoinDesk's reporting on fraud at the

cryptocurrency A cryptocurrency (colloquially crypto) is a digital currency designed to work through a computer network that is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to uphold or maintain it. Individual coin ownership record ...

exchange FTX.

Subgenres

The increasing market power of technology companies, especially in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, has meant modern technology journalism often falls under the umbrella of

business journalism Business journalism is the part of journalism that tracks, records, analyzes, and interprets the business sector, business, Economy, economic and finance, financial activities and changes that take place in societies. wikt:topic, Topics widely c ...

, including as pertains to tech companies' treatment of workers,

marketing Marketing is the act of acquiring, satisfying and retaining customers. It is one of the primary components of Business administration, business management and commerce. Marketing is usually conducted by the seller, typically a retailer or ma ...

strategies, and involvement in the political sphere. Some tech journalists investigate tech companies' activities, revealing undisclosed details on topics such as

information privacy Information privacy is the relationship between the collection and dissemination of data, technology, the public expectation of privacy, contextual information norms, and the legal and political issues surrounding them. It is also known as dat ...

protocols,

data security Data security or data protection means protecting digital data, such as those in a database, from destructive forces and from the unwanted actions of unauthorized users, such as a cyberattack or a data breach. Technologies Disk encryption ...

, and the right to repair. Because many hardware and software products are oriented toward consumers, general-audience tech publications often combine reporting with

service journalism While public service journalism is about reporting issues that concern citizens and equipping them to form reasoned opinions on matters of shared interest, service journalism is a term for generally consumer-oriented features and advice, ranging ...

, offering readers insights on new tech products and sometimes recommendations on which to purchase. Beginning as a cable television channel and ultimately a website, '' CNET'' has long focused on offering perspective on new technology products. Broader product review websites such as ''Wirecutter'' and ''The Strategist'' offer independent recommendations funded by affiliate links, which offer publications a commission when they refer a consumer who ultimately makes a purchase. Close relationships between tech journalists and the companies they cover have sometimes led to concerns about uncritical reporting on industry claims. Some technology journalists also cover

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

, especially those focusing on digital communities and

. The "

internet culture Internet culture refers to culture developed and maintained among frequent and active users of the Internet (also known as netizens) who primarily communicate with one another as members of online communities; that is, a culture whose influence ...

" beat often overlaps with celebrity and entertainment coverage, especially as pertains to reporting on

influencers A social media influencer, or simply influencer (also known as an online influencer), is a person who builds a grassroots online presence through engaging content such as photos, videos, and updates. This is done by using direct audience intera ...

and other prominent figures who are predominantly known for their online presence.

Video game journalism Video game journalism (also called games journalism or video game criticism) is a specialized branch of journalism that covers various aspects of video games, including game reviews, industry news, and player culture, typically following a core ...

incorporates a synthesis of business reporting on game companies and games' reception in popular culture.

History

Subgenres

References

See also