Liquid journalism: The transformation of professional identity of photojournalism in the uncertain digital media economy

This study examines the transformation of photojournalistic identity within the framework of Zygmunt Bauman's liquid modernity approach. Liquid modernity, characterized by constant change and uncertainty, profoundly affects the journalistic institution. In this context, the study digs into the forces that cause journalism to face uncertainty. Along with the transition to the new media, the study discusses how the collapse of the traditional business model affects photojournalistic labor. It also approaches how the freelance model -a reflection of the individualization of working life- affects the photojournalistic identity. The study further addresses liquid photojournalistic identity in the axis of technological convergence and identity of citizen journalism. Finally, the study searches into the photojournalists' efforts to solidify to reduce uncertainty and ambivalence in the face of fluidization of their identity. In the study, using phenomenology, one of the qualitative research designs, it is concluded that the photojournalistic identity undergoes a radical transformation because of the transition from traditional media to digital media. According to the findings, the economic consequences of digitalization have led to the externalization of photojournalistic labor. However, technological convergence has radically changed working practices and blurred the boundaries of professional identity. As a result, the photojournalistic identity has become ambiguous. Key Words: Zygmunt Bauman, Liquid journalism, Photojournalism, Citizen journalism