Journalism and the Metaverse: Opportunities and Challenges for News Production and Consumption

The Metaverse, as a new world of trials and opportunities, poses specific challenges to the communication landscape that is on the horizon. The creation and consumption of content in this renewed context is a challenge for all the players in the field of communication, who need to establish a presence in those spaces that shape the communicative ecosystem of the fourth industrial revolution. While awaiting the results of this space under construction and the expectations that the major technological companies and the main operators in the sector are able to create for the world of the Metaverse, news media are exploring options and developing experimental initiatives. However, this commitment involves risks, as the scenario raises doubts regarding audiences, sustainability models, and the impact on users. The virtual world is part of the present and the future, and media outlets are aware that they cannot look the other way. It is, therefore, a new opportunity for immersive journalism, which generates many debates and poses many risks. This chapter analyzes some of the most significant experiences carried out in recent years by news media in order to situate the starting point of the new challenge they face if, as announced, the Metaverse consolidates as one of the axes of the future of the societies in the decade of the third millennium.