Who are these guys? The online challenge to the notion of journalistic professionalism

Abstract

This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: WHO ARE THOSE GUYS?The online challenge to the notion of journalistic professionalism Jane B. Singer WHO ARE THOSE GUYS? The online challenge to the notion of journalistic professionalismThe people who claim membership in a profession and delineate its attributes do so at least in part to justify inequality of status, as well as to limit and control access to that status. The key role of the professional can be fulfilled only by people with particular training, skills and judgment, and it is crucial that the distinction between practitioner and layperson be clearly recognized by all parties. This paper suggests that online news workers fundamentally challenge the already-disputed concept of journalists as professionals. It identifies and explores key aspects of that challenge across the cognitive, normative and evaluative dimensions of the sociological construct of professionalism, with the goal of laying the groundwork for empirical investigation into the issues raised.

What's Stopping Them?

“…This empowering of journalistic agency is supported by recent observations of news production, argues Cottle. It also seems to be a fruitful position to adopt in this period of media transition, especially since the role of the journalist today is undergoing substantial change entailing a more individualized line of work in which journalists are expected to master a greater variety of tasks and skills (Deuze 2005, Nygren 2008, Singer 2003. Paying closer attention to the practice of journalists is also crucial if one aims to bridge the gap between journalism practitioners and scholars.…”

“…In a survey of US journalists and editors, Singer (1997) found that most journalists believed new technology would not affect the way they did their job. The respondents' answers were clearly influenced by an assumption that their newsroom work culture would not be affected by the new medium, thus discarding the need for extensive innovation.…”

Partnerships and Public Service: Normative Issues for Journalists in Converged Newsrooms

“…Among the issues he highlights with implications inside converged newsrooms are conflicts of interest among media partners and plagiarism, with its associated concerns about authenticity, authorship, and accuracy. In considering online challenges to professionalism, Singer (2003) suggests that a medium with few gatekeepers, "in which deadlines are perpetual and competition is intense," can create enormous pressure to run stories before they are verified (p. 152). Cohen (2002) examines the dynamics of online journalism at various levels, warning that market-driven concerns may dominate the new medium; in particular, demands for continuous updates can compromise accuracy and standards of newsworthiness.…”

“…Online journalism is still in the process of establishing its own professional credentials (Singer, 2003) and does not have an ethics code per se. However, the mission statement of the Online News Association (2004), an organization formed in 1999 by and for journalists "whose principal livelihood involves gathering or producing news for digital presentation," lays out a set of "founding principles.…”

Making ‘The Daily Me’: Technology, economics and habit in the mainstream assimilation of personalized news

“…However, much of the evidence for this 'power' comes from observations of how audiences actively interpret mass media messages (Morley, 1993) rather than how they interact directly with the communications channel. The frequent references to the audience's ability to make "decisions about how and when to access news content" (Meikle, 2009), and to power shifting "away from the professional and towards the layperson" (Singer, 2003), have not dispelled doubts about the extent to which established "passive" (Neuman, 1991: 42) patterns of media consumption are changing.…”