Published Paper Details:

The rapid evolution of digital technologies has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of regional-language journalism in India. Kannada news media, with its rich journalistic tradition and significant readership, has undergone a major transformation through the adoption of digital platforms, mobile journalism, social media, multimedia storytelling, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven editorial practices. While these technological advancements have enhanced the speed, accessibility, and audience engagement of news dissemination, they have also introduced critical challenges, including declining print circulation, misinformation, digital monetization issues, algorithmic dependence, cybersecurity concerns, and ethical dilemmas. This review paper critically examines the digital transformation of Kannada news media by synthesizing recent scholarly literature, industry reports, and contemporary developments in digital journalism. The study explores the technological, organizational, professional, and economic dimensions of this transformation, with particular emphasis on AI-enabled journalism, changing audience news consumption patterns, newsroom convergence, and the sustainability of regional-language media. It further identifies the opportunities created by digital innovation, such as enhanced audience participation, subscription-based business models, multimedia content production, and data-informed editorial decision-making. The review highlights that the long-term sustainability of Kannada digital journalism depends not only on technological adoption but also on maintaining editorial independence, journalistic ethics, public trust, and diversified revenue models. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on regional digital journalism by providing a comprehensive perspective on the challenges, opportunities, and future directions of Kannada news media. The findings offer valuable insights for journalists, media organizations, researchers, policymakers, and journalism educators seeking to strengthen regional-language journalism in the rapidly evolving digital communication environment.