Narrative Theory in Journalistic Practice

Yngve Benestad Hågvar is Associate Professor of Journalism at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. He has a PhD in discourse analysis of online journalism, and his research interests include the development of journalistic narratives, genres, and discourses, particularly in health journalism and social media.Harald Hornmoen is Professor of Journalism at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. His research interests include literary journalism, discourse analysis, risk and environmental communication, and the relationship between science, journalism, and society. Hornmoen is a former science, language, and culture journalist.Jørgen Alnæs is Associate Professor of Journalism at the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway. He is a former literary and theatre critic. Alnæs’ research interests include non-fiction narratives and the relations between text and geography.

“Narrative Theory in Journalistic Practice, edited by Yngve Benestad Hågvar, Harald Hornmoen, and Jørgen Alnæs of Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), provides clear and practical theoretical concepts and methodological approaches to make sense of journalistic storytelling and narratives in the ever-changing media landscape.”-- Jessy De Cooker, Lecturer and PhD candidate, Journalism Faculty, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands“I recommend Hågvar, Hornmoen, and Alnæs’s book because it situates narrative journalism within the TikTok age and provides everyday examples that make concepts easier to understand. The book does an exceptional job of explaining concepts and can serve as a valuable read for students and scholars of journalism who wish to expand their knowledge of narrative journalism.”-- Phylix Akorfa Asilevi, Marquette University/University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA“Narrative Theory in Journalistic Practice represents a theoretical advancement in narrativity and provides a new framework for narrative analysis of contemporary news formats. This framework simultaneously addresses how new multimodal formats affect journalistic narrativity and how readers’ engagement and interpretations have become a crucial part of it. This innovative approach to narrativity significantly contributes to qualitative research in journalism and media studies.”-- Ivana Cvetkovic, Cal Poly Pomona, USA, News Research Journal, 2026, 1–2"Due to its coherence and consistency and its methodological perspective, Narrative theory in journalistic practice is undoubtedly a much-needed book."-- Bruno Souza Leal, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Journalism, 2026, Vol. 0(0) 1–3

• 1. Why this book is needed 2. Narrative in journalism: Theoretical and analytical challenges 3. Future stories: Reporting what may happen 4. Present stories: Constructing live narratives 5. Still stories: Beyond text, truth and temporality in photojournalism 6. Vocal stories: The sound of narrative in podcasts 7. Social stories: TikTokking the news 8. Conclusions