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Lecture 3
News organisations and the journalist
12 October 2010
What shapes the relationship between the individual journalist and the news organisation?
Gatekeeping ProfessionalismNews OrganisationsJournalistic Routines
GatekeepingGatekeeping Theory describes the powerful process through which events are covered by the mass media, explaining how and why certain information either passes through gates, or is closed off from media attention.
Even single, seemingly trivial gatekeeping decisions it has been argued, can come together to shape an audience’s view of the world (i.e news has power..?).
Belief in the power of the individual: early gatekeeper studies
In 1949 David Manning White undertook research centred on the role of an individual wire editor ‘Mr Gates’ in press newsroom in the USA.
White found the decision making process to be 'highly subjective'.
Gatekeeper Studies
Later studies by Pamela Shoemaker argued that the individual isn’t the only gatekeeper – the whole organisation works together to act as a gatekeeper
Gatekeeping
McQuail defines gatekeeping as ‘the process by which selections are made in media work, especially decisions whether or not to admit a particular news story to pass through the “gates” of a news medium into the news channels’ (1994: 213).
21st Century Challenges to Gatekeeping Theory
The effectiveness of gatekeeping has been questioned from a number of perspectives: increasingly ‘the practice of journalism is seen to be being ‘contaminated’ from outside.
The “fourth estate” is in danger of being overwhelmed by the “fifth estate”, the growing number of “PR merchants and spin doctors” influencing the news agenda’ and undermining the reliability of the gatekeeping process itself.
Challenges to traditional gatekeeping theory Reporting speed required of
news services has also increased steadily,
This has made gatekeepers even more likely to rely on prepared material from this ‘fifth estate’ rather than spending time and money on their own, independent research
Challenges to traditional gatekeeping theoryDevelopment of the WWW has meant
that news consumers are now far less reliant on what passes through the gates of the mainstream news organisations.
They can bypass these altogether and turn directly to first-hand information providers; further, such information providers now also often include news consumers themselves.
Professionalism
Professionalism allows a balancing act to occur between:-
1) the needs of the organisation (not to be sued, provide news that is appealing to the audiences, on time, on message, within the law, objective/unbiaised etc).
2) the need for journalists to have editorial freedom when reporting, selecting and editing news stories.
Professional competences
What is a profession?A profession is an occupation, vocation or career
whereSpecialized knowledge of a subject, field, or science
isapplied.
It is usually applied to occupations that involveprolonged academic training and a formal
qualification.
Professional activity involves systematic knowledge and
proficiency.
Professions are usually regulated by professional bodies
that may set examinations of competence, act as an
Licensing authority for practitioners, and enforceadherence to an ethical code of practice.
Challenges to Professionalism:
Journalist – the detached observer
Citizen Journalist – the observer who is involved
Understanding News Organisations
We can look at a variety of elements
1) Their structure2) Controls and constraints on the
organisation3) Their goals4) Ownership5) Organisational Culture6) Newsroom cultures and structures
Organisations are complexMost organisations have mixed goals and
rarely are they all openly stated.
In organisational theory, a differentiation is often made between utilitarian and normative organisations.
The utilitarian organisation aims to produce or provide material goods or services for financial ends. Whilst the normative organisation aims to advance some value or achieve a valued condition (i.e. the BBC – based on voluntary commitment of its participants).
Challenges to understanding news organisationsThe question of ‘control’: Transparent Newsroom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLCAZYQMCg&feature=player_embedde
d
Challenges to understanding news organisations: No longer focussed on single medium.
http://www.niemanlab.org/2009/05/inside-five-newsrooms-that-hl-mencken-wouldnt-recognize/
News Organisations
How does the organisation ‘control’ the journalist?
a) Social control in the newsroom
b) The role of conflict c) Constraints d) Enculturalisation
Warren Breed (1955) - control in the newsroom
Journalists copy their organisation’s techniques and styles.
Editorial blue pencilling Reprimands Get to know why their stories
don’t get on airNewsroom gossip News conference or morning
meeting Codes of practice
Warren Breed - why journalists conform
Fear of sanctions and authority Feelings of obligation and esteem
for superiors (varies between different news organisations).
Acceptance of news policyPleasant nature of the jobGetting the news is a primary
value in itself
Journalists go through three stages according to Warren Breed
1) Cub stage
2) ‘Wiring in’ stage
3) Veteran or ‘Star’ stage
Charles Bantz (1985)– Conflict is a normal part of newsroom practice
a) Journalistic distrust b) Conflicts between professional
norms and business norms c) Conflicts between professional
norms and entertainment normsd) Controlled competition
John Soloski (1989) – Constraints on journalists
1) Editorial meetings 2) Assignments 3) Reprimands and criticism 4) Supervision
How and why do journalists conform?
Sometimes this is called ‘socialisation’
Journalistic routines?Habits are automatic routines of behavior that are repeated regularly, without thinking about them too carefully – seem common-sensical.
They are learned, not instinctive.
The person may not be conscious or aware of some routines of behaviour.
Routines have a purpose
They are ‘event-taming’
Journalists assimilate the new and
unprecedented into familiar ways of
understanding the world.
What are Professional Routines Story structure Schemes of interpretation – the routine relationship
with sources (Fishman in Berkowitz) ‘The news beat’ and ‘the news net’ Categorisation of news (Tuchman in Berkowitz) Planning Routine constraints of time, space, resources,
logistics, luck, codes, laws etc. Relationship with the audience Routine construction of story narratives Strategic ritual of objectivity
What’s the problem?
Nick Davies ‘Flat Earth News’ - journalists accept ways of doing things as natural, inevitable (PR/Agencies/pre-prepared material – churnalism argument)