ABSTRACT
Digital platforms have changed the landscape of NGO journalism norms, adapting NGO roles and journalism functions. Using Powers (2017) normative journalism framework, the chapter, explores how NGOs shift, alter, and adapt the roles of expert, advocate, facilitator, and critic to better suit their goals and strategy for impacting the US immigration agenda for refugees and asylum seekers. The comparison between Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First draws into stark relief a series of trends affecting social change efforts among advocacy groups The chapter highlights four trends: the shift in the relationships between NGOs and news organizations that now gain legitimation from one another; the continued focus on the general public or elites as target audiences to create awareness and social change; the use of digital platforms and technologies to create new news experiences and cast a wider publicity net; and the emergent role of the critic that has hybridized with other journalism traditions.
