Zürcher FachhochschuleZurich University of Applied Sciences

IAMInstitut für Angewandte Medienwissenschaft

1

The impact of the Internet use on diversity in newsroom production

Vinzenz Wyss & Annina Stoffel

IAMCR Conference

Journalism Research & Education

July 16, 2011

Zurich University of Applied Sciences 2

Research Questions

• How does the Internet use change norms in journalism production and routines in newsrooms?

• What is the impact of the Internet use on the research and production processes in newsrooms?

• How do these changes influence the diversity production?

Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Methodological Design & Sample

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Qualitative Interviews (guided) with 48 professionals

12 Swiss newsrooms in two languages areas

7 print, 2 private-TV, 4 online-based

Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Findings I: Separation and Stratification

„Us“ and „the guys overthere“

“They (online channel) just write their stories without talking to us (Tages-Anzeiger). At the time they put it on the site we (Tages-Anzeiger print edition) can see what they are busy with.”

„All information we (20 Min. print edition) give to the online branch means a loss for our paper. We are interested in keeping news as long as possible to ourselves. We use our time to investigate the story profoundly so we can bring the scoop the other day.”

„If they (online channel) want to get better, we do not hold them back.“

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Stratification

The decline

„Our generation (experienced, older professionals) thinks about the printed edition. Even if we write something for the online channel at the first place we still ‘do’ print. Many of us do not feel comfortable about it.”

„At one hand they underline the importance of the online channel, at the other hand you can find there a lot of bad paid and unqualified people.“ (Aargauer Zeitung)

5

Zurich University of Applied Sciences

«Online is …«

… „appetizer“

… „crispy title“

... „not careful“

… „marginal“

… „not taken seriously“

… „without experience“

… „fault-resistant “

… „without respect“

… „embarrassing“

6

„You can’t give the same title for an online article as for a printed one. To less pointed out, to less ‘tabloid’, they don‘t get you curious, are boring. You always have to adapt them, to reformulate them or to sharpen them.”

“With the „click-rating“ you can directly see which story is successful. We know, that titles from the print edition will not be successful.”

journalists who write for the print edition

an online journalist

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Findings II: Co-Orientation

The Internet as a resource that brings forward co-orientation

Easier access to online media (foreign titles too)

Efficient way to find new topicsPotential accumulates by quantity

Exclusivity D+ +Reproduction

Addition

D- +

D- -

Reduction of complexity

Concentration

New aspect / redraw old stories

Increase of quantity

Stop

New search for topics

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„source of inspiration“

more contact with the audience

„Scoop-machine“

“seismograph”

„democratization“

Findings V: Audience

Publikum

Chance of interactivtiy?Ambivalence

Posts/comments

„Click“-rating

UGC, Social Media„Facebook“ etc.

„gossip“, “”80% trash“

„time consuming“

„high effort of control“

„dangerous instrument“

down leveling

D + D -

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„A calf with three legs and six tails is a curiosity but it is not a story.“

Findings III: Audience (Statements I)

Audience

Chance of interactivtiy?Ambivalence

D + D -

„Readers can tell you what they think, what they are interested in and they can provide you with

different inputs.“

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„It is dangerous because media refer to each other. One has to take care not to be led to much about online

characteristics. “

Findings III: Audience (Statements II)

Audience

Chance of interactivtiy?Ambivalence

D + D -

„Ratings about how many time a story was clicked on is a criteria of quality. They show you if you have chosen a good

picture or if you are able to sell a story in a good way.“

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Conclusion

Separation & Stratification:

• Large gap between convergent concepts and practical realization

• Lack of resources in the online branch leads to a negative image (decline)

Co-Orientation:

• News value “Exclusivity” / „Variation“ stays a rare exhausted potential

• Lack of resources forces co-orientation and pseudo diversity

Audience:

• Interaction with the audience stays rather one sided

• The technical and social potential for inclusion of the audience is not used

Zürcher FachhochschuleZurich University of Applied Sciences

IAMInstitut für Angewandte Medienwissenschaft

12

The Impact of the Internet on diversity in newsroom production

Vinzenz Wyss & Annina Stoffel

IAMCR Conference

Journalism Research & Education

July 16, 2011