A Virtual Ethnographic Study of Journalists’ Use of Facebook Press Group

This paper explores Palestinian journalists’ use of Facebook group, Lammet Sahafa; a closed group used to discuss topical issues such as violence against journalists among other pressing issues. In this paper, through a cyber-ethnographic research method facilitated by observations, systematic interpretation of archived Facebook posts and in-depth interview among six journalists. We identified the following themes; Lammet Sahafa as an online forum, Lammet Sahafa as a telephone directory group and Lammet Sahafa as an extension of offline journalism activities and all of these themes were discussed in terms of journalists welfare as well as other important issues. This study concludes drawing from the interviews, observations, and systematic interpretation of archived posts that Lammet Sahafa is helpful to journalists because it contributes immensely to their offline activities such as investigating articles, out-sourcing, creating and maintaining contacts, corroborating statements and facts, and liaising with other journalists.