Aesthetic Misinformation in Local Digital Journalism: A Case Study on Editorial Bypass in Public Service News Production
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51903/rgb91w74Keywords:
Digital journalism, editorial workflow, local media, visual credibility, aesthetic misinformationAbstract
The transformation of journalism in the digital age has led to the emergence of local online media platforms operating without formal editorial structures. This study investigates the news production process of a public service article published by a semi-professional online portal, focusing on how editorial routines are adapted—or bypassed—in decentralized environments. The selected article, which listed hospitals affiliated with the national health insurance program, was widely circulated yet contained factual inaccuracies that impacted readers' real-life service access. Using a qualitative case study design, the research draws on interviews with the editor, observational data, document analysis, and reader responses. The results reveal a linear, individualized editorial workflow in which a single actor handled all stages of production without verification protocols. Visual design elements such as structured layouts and official-like typography were employed to simulate credibility, resulting in what this paper terms aesthetic misinformation. While the article was produced to serve the public, the absence of institutional oversight contributed to its unreliability. The findings contribute to media and communication studies by highlighting the tension between visual legitimacy and journalistic integrity in grassroots media production. The study recommends adopting lightweight editorial standards and reflexive design practices to promote ethical information dissemination in non-institutionalized news environments.
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Beard, J. H., Trombley, S., Walker, T., Roberts, L., Partain, L., MacMillan, J., & Midberry, J. (2024). Public Health Framing of Firearm Violence on Local Television News in Philadelphia, PA, USA: A Quantitative Content Analysis. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18718-0
De Morais, C. B. (2022). “Digital Democracy”: A Threat to the Democratic System or Oxygenation of Representative Democracy and Free Speech? Law, Governance and Technology Series, 49, 9–63. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07377-9_2
Gallofré Ocaña, M., & Opdahl, A. L. (2022). Supporting Newsrooms with Journalistic Knowledge Graph Platforms: Current State and Future Directions. Technologies, 10(3), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies10030068
Główczyński, M. (2022). Toward User-Generated Content as a Mechanism of Digital Placemaking—Place Experience Dimensions in Spatial Media. ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 11(4), 261. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi11040261
Guo, Y., Dong, P., & Lu, B. (2025). The Influence of Public Expectations on Simulated Emotional Perceptions of AI-Driven Government Chatbots: A Moderated Study. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 20(1), 50. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer20010050
Haapanen, L., & Manninen, V. J. E. (2023). Etic and Emic Data Production Methods in the Study of Journalistic Work Practices: A Systematic Literature Review. Journalism, 24(2), 418–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849211016997
Hamada, B. I., & Abdel-Salam, A. S. G. (2025). Deerminants of watchdog journalism: A global empirical approach. International Communication Gazette, 87(3), 191–216. https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485241288401
Karlsson, M., Ferrer Conill, R., & Örnebring, H. (2023). Recoding Journalism: Establishing Normative Dimensions for a Twenty-First Century News Media. Journalism Studies, 24(5), 553–572. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670x.2022.2161929
Krisdinanto, N., Apul, M. M. B., & Ritonga, R. (2024). Critical Moment for Indonesian Journalism: Disappearance of Journalistic Firewall. Jurnal Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 40(2), 92–110. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkmjc-2024-4002-06
Li, Y. (2023). Assessing the Role Performance of Solutions Journalism in a Global Pandemic. Journalism Practice, 17(7), 1445–1464. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1990787
Luik, J. E., & Aritonang, A. I. (2021). Informality of Media Freelancers in Indonesia: Motives and Prospects. Journal of Creative Communications, 17(3), 288–302. https://doi.org/10.1177/09732586211050332
Mtchedlidze, J. (2024). Technical Expertise in Newsrooms: Understanding Data Journalists’ Roles and Practices. Journalism and Media, 5(3), 1316–1328. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia5030083
Oso, L., Adeniran, R., & Arowolo, O. (2024). Journalism Ethics: The Dilemma, Social and Contextual Constraints. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2328388. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2328388
Prasetyo, E. H. (2024). Digital Platforms’ Strategies in Indonesia: Navigating Between Technology and Informal Economy. Technology in Society, 76, 102414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102414
Riad, A., Drobov, A., Rozmarinová, J., Drapáčová, P., Klugarová, J., Dušek, L., Pokorná, A., & Klugar, M. (2022). Monkeypox Knowledge and Vaccine Hesitancy of Czech Healthcare Workers: A Health Belief Model (HBM)-Based Study. Vaccines, 10(12), 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines10122022
Schwarzenegger, C. (2023). Understanding the Users of Alternative News Media—Media Epistemologies, News Consumption, and Media Practices. Digital Journalism, 11(5), 853–871. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.2000454
Siahaan, J. R., Pagalung, G., Demmallino, E. B., Saleng, A., Sulaiman, A. A., & Nagu, N. (2025). Reframing Sustainability in Post-Mining Landscapes: A Foundational Framework for Institutional and Behavioral Integration in Indonesia. Sustainability, 17(12), 5278. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125278
Simatzkin-Ohana, L., & Frosh, P. (2022). From User-Generated Content to a User-Generated Aesthetic: Instagram, Corporate Vernacularization, and the Intimate Life of Brands. Media, Culture and Society, 44(7), 1235–1254. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221084107
Situmorang, A. C., Suryanegara, M., Gunawan, D., & Juwono, F. H. (2023). Proposal of the Indonesian Framework for Telecommunications Infrastructure Based on Network and Socioeconomic Indicators. Informatics, 10(2), 1–33. https://doi.org/10.3390/informatics10020044
Sonni, A. F., Hafied, H., Irwanto, I., & Latuheru, R. (2024). Digital Newsroom Transformation: A Systematic Review of the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Journalistic Practices, News Narratives, and Ethical Challenges. Journalism and Media, 5(4), 1554–1570. https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia5040097
Torenholt, R., & Tjørnhøj-Thomsen, T. (2022). Is This Something I Should Be Worried About?”: A Study of Nurses’ Recontextualisation Work When Making Clinical Decisions Based on Patient-Reported Outcome Data. Social Science & Medicine, 294, 114645. https://doi.org//10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114645
Walters, P. (2022). Reclaiming Control: How Journalists Embrace Social Media Logics While Defending Journalistic Values. Digital Journalism, 10(9), 1482–1501. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1942113
Wardiyanto, B., Setijaningrum, E., Samad, S., & Kandar, A. H. (2025). Mending the Mismatch of Minds and Mandates: Reimagining Competency-Centric Public Service Delivery in Bojonegoro Regency, Indonesia. Cogent Business and Management, 12(1), 2442538. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2024.2442538
Yang, Y., An, R., Fang, C., & Ferris, D. (2025). Artificial Intelligence in Food Bank and Pantry Services: A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 17(9), 1461. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091461
Zhu, J. (2023). Unlocking Potential: Harnessing the Power of Metadata for Discoverability and Accessibility. Information Services and Use, 43(3–4), 249–256. https://doi.org/10.3233/isu-230202
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