Abstract

This article examines the socio?economic functions of electronic newspaper in the context of epochal change from the industrial society to the information society. We argue that electronic newspaper is expanding its social roles and performing new functions. This article conceptualizes electronic newspaper as providing three digital marketplaces for (1) news and information, (2) opinion, and (3) trading. Examples are drawn from electronic newspapers from the United States, the United Kingdom and the Chinese communities. The notion of the market is first explored and various characteristics of the marketplace are examined together with those of the electronic newspaper, which assumes the format of an open media code. Finally, implications of the advent of electronic newspaper on the changing role of journalism is discussed