Exploring digital transformation of journalism in Bangladesh: Trends, opportunities and challenges

Abstract

The advancement of digital technologies has revolutionized journalistic practices worldwide, yet empirical research on how these changes are unfolding within Bangladesh’s evolving media landscape remains limited. To address this gap, this study investigates how digital technologies are reshaping news production, dissemination and professional standards, and what opportunities and challenges these shifts create for journalists and media organizations. Guided by technological determinism and media convergence theories, the study explores how technological forces and cross-platform integration drive structural and cultural change in Bangladeshi journalism. Using a qualitative approach, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with journalists from television, online and print media. The results show that smartphones, social media and affordable multimedia tools have significantly simplified news production, allowing journalists to work as independent, multi-skilled content creators. Digital platforms have expanded audience reach, accelerated news dissemination and enhanced interactive participation, thereby creating new revenue streams and global employment opportunities. However, the digital transformation has also increased challenges, including the spread of misinformation, the decline of journalistic standards among untrained content creators and outdated journalism curricula that do not meet technological demands. Theoretically, the study refines technological determinism by placing technological influence within social and professional constraints and broadens media convergence by illustrating its uneven development in a resource-limited media environment. Overall, this research deepens understanding of digital transformation in media landscapes of the Global South and underscores the vital need to foster digitally skilled and ethically aware journalistic practices in Bangladesh.