Reflective Practices for Future Journalism: The Need, the Resistance and the Way Forward

Abstract

In newsrooms journalists encounter numerous constraints accelerated by increasing technological and economic pressures. The complexity of the job and the need for (constant) innovation coupled with the rising call for transparency and accountability ask for journalists who "reflect-in-action". Newsroom ethnographies consistently suggest that journalists experience a gap between the wish for increased self-reflection and its actual practice. Additionally, both newsroom research and journalists' expressions in the trade press show significant resistance against reflection as being a largely academic exercise, or simply too time-consuming. We propose that considering reflection primarily from a learning perspective can overcome this resistance. Secondly, the article acknowledges that in order to enable professionals to fit reflection into their precarious practice, critical reflection should develop out of the practice itself. Reflection only makes sense if it starts from the sense of immediacy and autonomy within journalistic practice, recognises the constraints that journalists face and acknowledges the aversion among journalists against standardised protocols in their craft. Outlining the basic tenets of reflective practice, journalism's current precarity and the learning perspective, we propose further research in how informal reflective practices can enhance professional autonomy.

Shaping the perception of African conflicts through framing: A case study of the African diasporic press in the UK

“…This study thus offers a nuanced understanding of the relationship between cognitive and practice roles that exists in contemporary framing literature. In terms of practice, it reinforces the call to bridge that gap between the wish for increased self-reflection and its actual practice among journalists (Ramaker et al, 2015: 345). In terms of research, it shows that the use of parallel content analysis could enrich framing research, especially in understanding the impacts of cognitive role on practice role and vice versa.…”

Towards the reflective science communication practitioner

“…This increasingly complex practice and continuously changing ecosystem, including wider societal transformations and post-normal situations, asks for reflective science communication practitioners [Brüggemann, Lörcher and Walter, 2020;Ramaker, van der Stoep and Deuze, 2015]. Current practice, such as 'fact checking' and 'gate keeping' of scientific information entering society, does not uphold in post-normal situations, for such situations require a practice capable of dealing with value questions and uncertainty [Brüggemann, Lörcher and Walter, 2020].…”

“…Reflective practice has mostly been operationalised in academic contexts, in practice-oriented fields such as management, nursing and social work [Askeland and Fook, 2009;Dubé and Ducharme, 2015;Jones and Stubbe, 2004], and for educational purposes to obtain certain professional skills or insights [Boud and Walker, 1998;Hesjedal et al, 2020;Karnieli-Miller, 2020]. More related to the practice of (science) communication, scholars describe how work on reflection and reflective practices in journalism studies tends to be focused on formal education and to some extent the field of ethics, and not so much on the core journalistic practices of news gathering, selecting, editing, and publishing itself [Ahva, 2012;Niblock, 2007;Ramaker, van der Stoep and Deuze, 2015;Salmon, Priestley and Goven, 2017]. For example, Ramaker, van der Stoep and Deuze [2015] theorised how the concept of reflective practice could be essential for journalists, in terms of assisting them to cope with the constraints of current journalistic work.…”

Engendering media work: Institutionalizing the norms of entrepreneurial subjectivity

“…Discussing the future of journalism in the context of increasing technological and economic advancement, some authors adopt a different focus: rather than exploring the interpellation of the worker into the organizational norms in the media field, Ramaker et al (2015) explore the possibilities of circumventing institutional needs and enhance professional autonomy by developing and learning reflective practices. ‘Reflective journalist’ is the one who does not lament about the pressures but rather develops ways to cope with the constraints (Ramaker et al, 2015: 355).…”

“…Discussing the future of journalism in the context of increasing technological and economic advancement, some authors adopt a different focus: rather than exploring the interpellation of the worker into the organizational norms in the media field, Ramaker et al (2015) explore the possibilities of circumventing institutional needs and enhance professional autonomy by developing and learning reflective practices. ‘Reflective journalist’ is the one who does not lament about the pressures but rather develops ways to cope with the constraints (Ramaker et al, 2015: 355). It is along these lines of thought that we should understand Deuze’s (2019: 132) plea for ‘creativity’ in journalism, or his analysis of ‘liquid media work’ (Deuze, 2007: 233–240) – not as something that only benefits the industry but as an important mechanism to nurture quality journalism.…”