The celebrified columnist and opinion spectacle: Journalism’s changing place in networked public spheres

Abstract

The professional practices of journalists have transformed. Dynamics of self-branding, celebrification and audience interactivity now govern modes of production on and beyond social media. Persona construction and performance in networked media environments increases visibility and reach, with followers, clicks, shares and likes, the markers of professional success. While British newspapers have a long tradition of high-profile columnists from across media and political spheres, the complexities of networked practices as part of globalised news and politics have transformed structure and agency. Lines are blurred between ‘social media influencer’, ‘celebrity’, ‘journalist’ and ‘political activist’ and this comparative case study uses mixed methods to analyse the work of two leading figures who embody such changes. First, it highlights how production practices intertwine the multimedia techniques of digital-first microcelebrities with the newsgathering methods and discourses of print and broadcast journalism. Second, it examines how performances negotiate displays of authenticity, authority and ‘attack’ to construct self-identities and political commentaries that resonate with followers/audiences and then channel them towards action. Finally, it demonstrates that their work reflects the hallmarks of spectacle and considers commercial and political purposes and impacts on journalism’s place in deliberative democracies.

Podcast – Commentary journalism in a digital public

“…A vital question is whether commentary in the podcast format improves the public's reasoning skills and makes it easier for citizens to make sense of what happens in society (Salgado & Strömbäck, 2012;Neveu, 2016). Or, is the podcast a place where columnists can finally gain exposure and become "celebrified" journalists and branded goods for their companies (Usher, 2020;Steensen, 2015), and thus support the critique that their commentary is superficial? Are podcasts a sort of democratic broadcasting tool, as Sterne et al (2008) claim, or are they, as Bonini (2014) contends, merely a commercial activity?…”

“…In times of fragmentation, the commentary genre might be one of the keys for professional journalism to a renewed contract with the increasingly demanding and fragmented audience and to defend its autonomy (Knapskog, 2016). Usher (2020) argues that the digital sphere has transformed "political and social commentary into a performance of self-asbrand and as journalist" (p. 2; see also Olausson, 2018). She talks about columnists as "celebrified" journalists, a combination of social media influencer, columnist, celebrity and political activist roles.…”

“…Such personalised social media performance and self-branding strengthen the columnists' political authority and authenticity. Usher (2020) reflects on how celebritisation among columnists has transformed journalistic and political spheres "from representation to self-presentation" (p. 15) and whether such journalistic practice is good or bad for deliberative democracies. Steensen (2015) uses the concept den profesjonlige journalisten (the perfessional journalist) to describe a double journalistic identity on social media: the personal but still professional journalist, which is also a valuable concept for the personalised behaviour of columnists in podcasts.…”

“…Several scholars have discussed this type of journalistic self-promotion and branding (Raabe, 2018;Rogstad, 2016). Some call the columnists "celebrified journalists" (Usher, 2020;Olausson, 2018), which indicates that the columnists become influencers, and even celebrities, with the power to impact commercial and political processes.…”

Television Journalists' Motives in Implementing Personal Branding on Instagram

“…Due to the great level of trust that her followers have in David, who is well-known as a journalist, she took this action to reduce the propagation of fake news.. According to Usher (2020), the more well-known journalists are, the more their value is utilized to further both their own personal identities as well as the office's financial objectives. Interviews with journalists from television led to the discovery of this objective.…”